The Immortal Blade
by Solid Shark
Summary: Here's something new: a crossover between Legend of Dragoon and Highlander. Definite A.U., PG-13 for violence (particularly beheadings). COMPLETE
1. Chapter 1: The Immortal Comes

Note: Once again, Solid Shark gives the Dragoon Swordsman a chance to post. As has been explained previously, Solid Shark is my brother, so he lets me post in this manner, do to my lack of a separate internet account. Oh, yes, the usual disclaimers apply.

I watched the headless body of my opponent slump to the ground and braced myself. Within seconds I was struck by the influx of power and strength that we call the Quickening. The effect was intense, jerking me around like a berserk marionette. The usual lightning played about, scorching everything within twenty feet. It was over almost before I knew it, and I collapsed, exhausted.

I don't know how long it was before I felt a sword at my throat. "What was that?"

The voice was cold, definitely female. I slowly came to my feet and turned around. "Why do you care?"

The dark-haired woman was unmoved. "Something like that doesn't happen without reason. I want to know what it was, and whether it will cause additional problems for the world."

I sighed. "Fine. I'll tell you, but…" Faster than she could react, I had my katana at her throat. "You have to promise to keep it secret."

The woman nodded, ignoring the blade. "Very well."

"Alright." I made a small cut on my arm, then held it up so she could see it heal. "I am immortal. I cannot die, unless you take my head. We are not from this world, as you probably noticed."

"I thought as much."  
"Anyway, we have been walking our world since the dawn of humanity. We have no knowledge of our origins; we simply are." I shook my head. "Many of us believe in an event called the Gathering, where we will feel an irresistible pull to a faraway land, to fight for the Prize." I snorted. "'In the end, there can be only one'. What a crock."

The mysterious warrior raised an eyebrow. "I take it that you don't believe it?"

I shook my head again. "No, and I'm not the only one. The oldest of our kind, a man named Methos, doesn't believe it, either. More of us are born all the time, after death, as it were. You see, our immortality can only be triggered by a mortal death. In my case, I was knifed in a back alley, woke up in a morgue, scared the living daylights out of the staff, then decided that I'd better vanish." I slapped my forehead. "Sorry, I forgot to introduce myself. My name is Raymond Belmont, Ray to my friends."

The woman shook my hand cautiously. "Rose. Now, what was the lightning about?"

I laughed without humor. "When one Immortal destroys another, he absorbs the loser's power, in a process that we call the Quickening. The lightning is a side effect. Quite a jolt, that."

"So I saw."

I smiled. "Now it's my turn for questions. Where in blazes am I?"

Rose shrugged. "This world is known as Endiness. Long ago, it was ruled by the ancient Winglies, a race with great magical power." She hesitated. "I don't know why, but I believe I can trust you with my own story. Will you keep it secret?"

I nodded. "We Immortals are good at that."

"Thank you." She continued her story. "Eleven thousand years ago, humans rose in rebellion against the domination of the Winglies. The leader was a man named Emperor Diaz. At the head of his forces were seven Dragoons, of Dragon Knights, who had the power to rule Dragons. I was one of those seven. We were sometimes known as the incarnation of Dragons, because of our magic armor. That armor gave us the ability to fly and cast spells, each of us representing one of seven elemental powers. Our leader was Zieg Feld, the Dragoon of Fire, and my fiancée." Rose stumbled slightly but went on, "Next was Syuveil, the Dragoon of Wind. He was a scholarly man, always poring over ancient manuscripts, seeking the meaning of life and death. Kanzas, the Dragoon of Thunder, was just the opposite. He lived to kill. I didn't like him."

I winced. "He sounds like some nasty Immortals my teacher told me about."

"Then there was Belzac, the Dragoon of Earth. He was one of the few humans who could match a Giganto for size and strength, but he was a kind man for all that, and he loved children. The Dragoon of Light, Shirley, loved him to the end. Last was Damia, the Dragoon of Water. She was much younger than the rest of us, about fifteen, but being half human and half mermaid, she had a special power."

"And you?" I asked.

Rose looked away. "I am the Dragoon of Darkness, the only surviving Dragoon. With the help of some Winglies who sided with us, led by Charle Frahma, we were able to fight our way to the Wingly capital Kadessa, where the final battle was fought. Damia and Syuveil were killed early on, and Kanzas sacrificed himself to destroy a Super Virage. Belzac died shielding Shirley from a Virage, but she perished shortly thereafter, crushed by a falling roof. Zieg…Zieg fought one-on-one with Melbu Frahma, younger brother of Charle. Zieg won, but Melbu's final blow turned him to stone. I escaped after that."

"But that wasn't the end," I said gently.

She shook her head. "I learned of a prophecy, tragically misleading. 'Count 108 years, and when the Moon That Never Sets glows red, a Moon Child descends upon the earth, to fill the world with holy bliss.' The Moon Child is actually the soul of the Virage Embryo, the God of Destruction. If it reaches the Moon, this world will end. Charle gave me a magic choker, which stopped me from aging, and I set out to kill the Moon Child every 108 years. Those around it must also die, or they will become nothing more than mindless slaves. For that act I became known as the Black Monster, a demon who rebels against and devours the gods."

I digested all this. "I believe you, Rose. Very few could have done as well as you have. Now, I need to get moving. Perhaps we will meet again."

Rose seemed to consider this. "Perhaps we will." She left, and I wandered into the forest.

Three days later, I was strolling through the prairie northwest of the village of Seles, when I felt the familiar Buzz. Oh, great, there's another Immortal nearby. Is there something funneling our kind to Endiness? I drew my blade. "I am Raymond Belmont. Show yourself."

A tall, swarthy-looking man stepped from behind a tree, holding an ugly kris style blade. "I am Ishmael bin Shakr," he said in an Arab accent. Bin Shakr lifted his sword. "I am here for your head."

I smirked. "I was trained by Duncan MacLeod," I replied coolly. "You have your work cut out for you." MacLeod had introduced me to his Watcher friend Joe Dawson when I began my training. Dawson had mentioned this bin Shakr.

"He's an Arab with an attitude problem, and despite being a hundred and fifty years old, he's not that good," Joe had said. "He shouldn't give you much trouble if you run into him."

Without further comment, the Arab charged, swinging his weapon in a very clumsy manner. I parried with contemptuous ease, slashing bin Shakr's arm in the process. "You'll have to do better than that."

With a roar, he charged again, this time aiming for my legs. I jumped the blade and kicked him in the back as he fell past. "Come on, Ishmael, I'm not even breaking a sweat. Are you tired already?"

The deranged Arab attacked yet again, crossing his sword with mine just an inch from my face. "Who's laughing now, boy?"

"I am." I slammed my knee into his groin, then spun in a horizontal arc, taking his head off. "Goodbye, amateur."

The Quickening brought me to my knees, set several trees on fire, and sent a sizable portion of the local wildlife running in terror. I couldn't blame them; an electrical storm next to a headless corpse isn't something that happens every day.

Recovering, I got to my feet and resumed the journey. Even after taking down an Immortal, I still had the strength to deal with any monsters that crossed my path. This was fortunate, since the prairies weren't the safest place in the world.

As it turned out, the prairie was just the first of many headaches. I soon came to the Limestone Cave, a massive place that looked more than a little ominous. The monsters proved more dangerous, and definitely more numerous. What kind of world is this anyway!?

I didn't meet anyone else until I neared the end of the cave. There, I saw three warriors up ahead. The leader was a blond-haired swordsman, dressed in red armor. Next to him was a blond-haired knight type with silver and green armor and a long spear. Last was a brown-haired girl in brown and white, a bow and arrow at the ready. They didn't notice me, being occupied battling a giant worm/snake thing. I decided to lend a hand.

"Here I go!" With a shout, I ran forward, leaping into the air and slashing my blade though the creature's flesh. The others didn't even stop to gape at me; instead, the two close-in fighters added their own attacks to mine, while the archer fired arrow after arrow. As giant monsters went, this one wasn't too tough, and it went down fast and hard.

At least, we thought it went down. The creature suddenly reared up again and attacked the girl, but a strange light came from her forehead completely destroying her attacker. What in blazes was that!? One moment she's under attack, the next,_ bang!_ No more monster.

They finally seemed to notice me. "We're grateful for your help, but who are you?" the red swordsman asked.

I sighed. "My name is Raymond Belmont. I'm a man from another world. I know," I said, seeing the astonished looks on their faces, "it's hard to believe, but it is true. I don't know how I got here, but it looks like I'll have work to do."

They relaxed. "I'm Dart. Dart Feld," the swordsman said. "This is Shana, from the village of Seles, and Lavitz Slambert, head of the First Knighthood of the Kingdom of Basil."

"What exactly is going on here?" I asked, puzzled.

Lavitz explained. "Twenty years ago, King Carlo of Serdio was murdered by Doel, his younger brother, who wanted the throne. This act divided Serdio into two. The Kingdom of Basil is ruled by the rightful heir, King Albert, Carlo's son. Doel now rules the Empire of Sandora. Several days ago, my Knighthood was destroyed, and I was taken to Hellena Prison. That is where I met Dart and Shana."

"Shana had been kidnapped when the Sandorans attacked Seles," Dart said. "I went there to rescue her, and wound up helping Lavitz defeat some guards. Then we escaped with Shana, and now we're on our way to Bale, the capital of Basil, to see King Albert."

"Do you mind if I come with you?" I asked. "I'm rather out of my depth here, and I don't know anyone." Not precisely true, but I wasn't about to mention Rose.

"Of course. You're welcome to come along," Dart responded. Lavitz and Shana nodded agreement.

"Thanks. Let's go." 

Author's Note: Short first chapter, but it's basically a setup for future events. This is A.U. both for LOD and Highlander; it's set just after the start of Highlander's fourth season, with one change: Darius is still alive. Sorry if Rose is a little out of character, but I figured that witnessing a Quickening would rattle even her. Please read and review. D.S. 


	2. Chapter 2: The Birth of a Dragoon

Disclaimer: I don't own any of this.

The city of Bale was more crowded than I expected. Aside from the rather tense populace, you'd never know they were in the middle of a civil war. There were plenty of shops, an inn, and even a library. Given the war, the arrival of four armed travelers wasn't unusual, though my sword drew some curious glances.

"Okay, Lavitz, where's this Indels Castle?" I asked.

The knight pointed to the north. "That way. Don't worry about your weapons, I'll vouch for you."

The four of us climbed several sets of stairs, eventually coming to the throne room. Three men awaited us; the blond man in green was obviously King Albert, to his right was an older man whom I took to be Minister Noish, and to Albert's left was a mysterious fellow in a black cloak.

We knelt, and Lavitz spoke. "I am the head of the First Knighthood, Lavitz Slambert. I am back from the field."

Albert rose. "Oh, Lavitz! Welcome back! I was worried because I heard you were missing. Oh, make yourselves comfortable, everyone!"

"Your Majesty, it is more than I deserve," Lavitz said as we straightened.

Noish laughed. "It's true. King Albert was so worried that he couldn't handle his affairs of state."

The king glanced at his minister. "Oh, Noish, don't tease me! Lavitz is a friend from my childhood as well as a master of martial arts."

So Lavitz is a friend of the King. Interesting. I focused on the man in black. There's something about him I don't quite trust. Maybe it's just an Immortal's survival instincts, but this guy will bear watching. I shifted my attention back to Noish, who was about to tell of the Dragon Campaign. I wonder how much they know.

Noish cleared his throat. "As if they were gods, Winglies ruled over all living creatures, and used them as slaves. The enslaved suffered a terrible domination and injustice. Their anger turned to a flame of fury, and then, a gust of wind blew throughout the land, spreading the flame to a blazing fire. The wind was Emperor Diaz. Seven incarnations of Dragons served the Emperor. Their bravery inspired people to take up arms. Thus began the Dragon Campaign. It was a harsh war; both people and Winglies suffered countless injuries and fatalities. After a long period of suffering, it was the humans who acquired the future. The age of humans had begun."

"The Black Monster appeared after the Dragon Campaign," Dart mused.

You bet she did, I thought. And without her, Endiness would have been destroyed long ago. I departed, passing one of Albert's aides. Standing on a nearby balcony, I considered my options. Mac would probably deal himself in on the side of Basil, champion of justice that he is. Richie would follow Mac's lead, and Methos…you can never tell with Methos. Mac's cousin Connor would tell me to keep my mind on the Game, but I don't believe in the Game. I shook my head in frustration. I've whacked two Immortals since I got here. This isn't the world we know. What do they want?

"Ray, you coming?"

I turned around, seeing Dart and friends. "Sure. Where to?"

"We're going to defend the town of Hoax, southwest of here," Lavitz said. "We were wondering what you're going to do."

"I'm in," I said. "My world has had more than enough people like Doel in its history. I know all to well what such people are capable of. Whenever you're ready."

The trip to Hoax took little more than a day, and most of that time was spent disposing of the local vermin. I hung back for the most part, wanting to get a feeling for my companions' fighting styles. Shana, though weak at close range, was an excellent archer, picking off some annoying bats before they could become a hazard. Lavitz gracefully twirled his spear, killing everything in his path. It was Dart, however, who impressed me most. He wielded his sword with a practiced ease, his attacks reminding me of Methos to a certain extent.

I grinned, slicing an orc in half. "Talk about luck. The first people I meet in this crazy world turn out to be highly skilled fighters."

"Not as surprising as you might think," Lavitz said. "Remember, there's a war on."

"How could I forget? And here we are."

Hoax was more like a fortress than a town. The civilian population was outnumbered at least two-to-one by the soldiers, though that wasn't saying much. "Is this really a town?" Shana asked in disbelief.

Lavitz shrugged. "It used to be, but the war changed it. Now we have to focus on our defense." He gestured to the main building. "We'd better go talk to Kaiser. He should be expecting us."

Kaiser was a somewhat older man, with the look of a grizzled veteran. "Lavitz! Welcome! I heard what happened to your knighthood…"

"I know, it was my fault," Lavitz said. "But I won't let their deaths be in vain. I brought some strong help. These are Dart and Shana, from Seles, and Ray Belmont, a wandering swordsman."

I smiled. "Glad to meet you. I hope I can be of help."

"If what Lavitz says is true, and I have no reason to believe otherwise, then you and Dart will be a great asset," Kaiser replied. "I would like you to stand a tour of guard duty. Having Shana too is not a good idea." He looked at her. "Can you prepare food for the troops?"

Shana nodded. "Sure, you'll love it."

I chuckled. "If you'll excuse me, I have some things to take care of."

In fact, I had caught a glimpse of Rose just as we entered Hoax, and I was anxious to speak with her. Glancing around cautiously to ensure that I wasn't being watched, I climbed a hill towards the rear of the town, keeping my sword sheathed. "Rose? Are you here?"

"Yes." Rose stepped out of shadows. "What brings you here?"

"I think that's my line." I grinned wryly. "But if you must know, I've decided to throw in my lot with the Kingdom of Basil. Doel sounds like the sort of scum who keep wreaking havoc back home. Besides which, I wouldn't put it past him to enlist the aid of evil Immortals, thus making my presence a necessity. Now, what brings _you _here?"

She nodded at Dart. "Your friend, though he does not know it, carries a Dragoon Spirit. I intend to test if he can become a Dragoon."

I frowned. "Better be careful. The Sandorans have a Dragon, so we could be in deep trouble." Lavitz waved for me. "I need to get going."

"Good luck."

I rejoined Dart and Lavitz at the gate. "Now we wait."

Dart looked off toward the forest. "If the Sandorans attack, it will be a night raid. We should relax while we can."

Four hours passed without incident. I couldn't fault Kaiser's vigilance, but I was skeptical. Hoax was too small, and the knights too few, to successfully resist a determined attack. Even without the Dragon, the Imperial Knighthood would roll right over our defenses…normally. What no one else on either side knew was that Basil had at least one, possibly two, of the legendary Dragoons on their side. Rose may be cold-blooded, but I can tell she has no love for Sandora.

"The enemy is coming! The enemy is coming!"

I spun around, drawing my sword. Sandoran soldiers were pouring in nearly overwhelming the Eighth Knighthood. I jumped to the ground, slashing two enemy soldiers before they knew I was there. "You're not going to win that easily!" Another Sandoran fell to my blade, then I felt an arrow jab into my side. I fell.

A soldier stood over me, grinning evilly. "Dog of Basil, now you die." He raised his sword for the killing blow, then jerked, the weapon falling from his hand. Protruding from his chest was the tip of Lavitz's spear.

Lavitz gave me a hand up. "You alright, Ray? That must have hurt."

I winced. "You have a gift for understatement, Lavitz." Another Sandoran charged; I spun and bisected him. "How are we doing?"

"We're holding, but barely." The knight grimaced. "If the Dragon shows up, we're sunk."

Just when we thought it couldn't get any worse, we heard a terrified shout. "It's Gi, Giganto!"

I was about to ask what a Giganto was, then I saw for myself. The Giganto was half again my height, and at least three times my mass, possibly four. In his right hand was a giant axe, more than enough to behead even me. "As if things weren't bad enough. Let's take him!"

Despite being faced by three fighters (Dart, Lavitz, and myself), Kongol was unimpressed. We changed his attitude quickly enough; a broadsword, a katana, and a spear will make anyone think twice. Dart and I attacked Kongol on either side, with Lavitz thrusting between. Even three-on-one, it was a difficult fight, more so than either of my Immortal encounters thus far. I learned not to underestimate him just because he was slow; I overextended a thrust and paid for it by being knocked across the street.

That was apparently enough to send Dart into a rage. He charged the Giganto, sword at the ready, and was promptly knocked flying. He hit the ground with a resounding crash. Kongol was on him at once, the giant axe held high…

He never had a chance to bring it down. A streak of dark blue came diving out of the sky, clashing once against the axe: Rose, Dragoon of the Black Burst Dragon. The scene, my first view of the legendary Dragoon, was breathtaking. Her armor was like nothing I'd seen before, dark blue, with a tinge of violet. Even her sword had changed, the hilt becoming almost claw-like. Extending from her shoulders were a pair of Dragon wings.

Rose leveled her sword at Dart. "Wake up! Dragoon of the Red-Eye Dragon!"

The effect was immediate and spectacular. The gem hanging from Dart's neck began glowing bright red, almost blinding us. Dart slowly rose to his feet, a look of disbelief on his face. Suddenly, he was engulfed in flame, and he shot into the air. At the same time, a fireball lanced out, striking Kongol in the chest and knocking him flying.

Dart floated gently to the ground, clad in the armor of the Dragoon. His armor was similar to Rose's, except that it was flame-red, and lacked the skirt-like portion. He stared at himself in complete astonishment. "What on earth is…?"

Only one Sandoran soldier remained. "Th…these are not humans!!" He scurried off.

Lavitz gazed at Dart in wonder. "Dart…you…what happened to you!?"

Dart flapped his wings once. "I don't know! I don't know what happened to me!?"

Rose landed and shed her armor. "The Knight of the Dragon, the Dragoon was born." A groan sounded from the downed Giganto. "I am surprised you didn't die."

Kongol glared at us. "Giganto don't die! Giganto will pay you back!" He stomped away.

Shana burst out of a nearby building. "Dart!"

Dart looked at her. "Shana." There was a flash of light, and Dart stood in his normal outfit, gasping. "Seeing Shana, makes me feel relieved." He collapsed, unconscious. 

I went to his side. "Quite an entrance, Rose. I take it your test was successful?"

Rose nodded. "Very. Now, we'd better get him inside."

"What are you to Dart!? Who are you!?" Shana demanded.

"Calm down, Shana," I said. "Rose might be cold-blooded, but she's on our side. What you have just witnessed is the birth of a Dragoon, a warrior of legend."

Lavitz's eyes widened. "You mean Dart has the power that saved humans from Winglies!?"

"That's exactly what I mean. Remember what Noish said. 'Seven incarnations of Dragons'. Our friend is the Dragoon of Fire." I froze. Dragoon of Fire…Rose said the first Dragoon of Fire was Zieg Feld. Dart's last name is Feld. Could he be related to Zieg? Is it mere coincidence that he is a Dragoon? 

Just then, Dart groaned and sat up. "You…you are…"

Rose shook his hand. "Rose. Nice to see you again."

Shana looked surprised. "You know Dart?"

"She is the one who saved me from the Dragon and alerted me to the attack on Seles," Dart said. "I never got to thank you."

The Dragoon shrugged. "I don't need thanks. I wanted to do it."

"Why did you come here?"

She held up her Dragoon Spirit. "I was curious about this artifact you own, the Dragoon Spirit of the Red-Eye Dragon."

Dart held up his as well, resulting in a brilliant light. "This…this light is!?"

"You 'deserve' to rule Dragons. This light shows the true evidence. From the time the Dragoon Spirit begins to shine, you have to accept your fate as a Dragoon, just like me." 

"I had no idea there was such power concealed in my father's memento!" Dart gasped.

"Is that why you saved Dart? Because he has a Dragoon Spirit?" Lavitz asked.

Rose shook her head. "Honestly, I was surprised myself, but now I know why." Her eyes lost focus. "You guys look like my dear old friends. They lived in a turbulent time, but were strong enough to grasp there own destinies."

"Can I ask you something?" Shana asked. Rose nodded. "Where are they now?"  
Rose sighed. "Everyone's gone. It's all in the past."

There's an understatement.

"I'm sorry. It looks like I was wrong about you, Rose," Shana said contritely.

The other woman shrugged. "It's okay. I'm used to being hated."

There's another understatement.

"Is the head of the Eighth Knighthood, Sir Kaiser, here!?"

The five of us charged outside, almost running headlong into a messenger. "What's going on!?" Lavitz gasped.

"The Seventh Fort in the Marshland is under heavy attack by the Dragon! The Tenth and Thirteenth Knighthoods are almost overwhelmed! Survivors are still responding!"

Lavitz swore. "Gather the remaining Knights! We must assault the Dragon's Nest directly!"

Rose snorted. "The Knights are strong fighters, but they are only human. Humans cannot defeat a Dragon."

"We still have to do something!" Lavitz shot back.

"Do you think a wasted death is honorable or something?" Rose asked pointedly. She ignored Lavitz's reaction. "But Dragoons can defeat him. Dart, you should understand this. We have a different existence. We are beyond humans."

Lavitz perked up. "That's right, Dragoons! Dragoons, who were said to have governed the Dragons, can fight against him!"

For a long moment, Dart was silent. "Maybe I can do it now," he said at last. "I felt…the power of the Dragon within me." He looked at Kaiser. "I'll fight for you!"

"I'll go, too," Rose said. "It doesn't seem right if it's just Dart and the others."

Kaiser nodded, looking relieved. "Shana…you should stay."

Wrong thing to say. "No, I'm going too!"

"I agree," I put in. "Shana is vulnerable close up, but I know a natural shot when I see one, and Shana is exactly that."

A roar sounded in the distance. "The Green Tusked Dragon, Feyrbrand," Rose murmured.

"It brings back the fear I felt before," Dart said softly.

Rose shook her head. "The real fear has not even begun."

Two hours later, we were on our way. Rose had given Dart some quick training in the art of Dragoon warfare, and the results were beyond impressive. Dart handled his newfound powers as though born with them, which was fortunate, since the Marshland was populated by a large number of water-based monsters.

"Amazing, isn't it?" I commented when the others were out of earshot.

For once, Rose actually looked troubled. "It is uncanny. Dart is so much like Zieg. He flies like Zieg, fights like Zieg, he even_ looks_ like Zieg."

"There may be a very simple reason for that." I paused dramatically. "Dart's last name is Feld."

The Dark Dragoon was visibly shocked. "Are you certain!?"

I nodded. "He told me himself. Wanna bet they're related?"

"It is possible, though I don't think Zieg had any siblings." Rose quickly regained her composure. "But that is an academic question at present. We have other things to worry about."

"So we do." 

By this time we had entered the Seventh Fort. There were still knights of Basil battling the Sandorans, but they were outnumbered. Our arrival changed things dramatically; a knight, an archer, two Dragoons, and an Immortal were more than enough to even the odds.

"These Sandorans just don't know when to give up!" Lavitz grunted, jabbing his spear through his enemy's heart.

"Of course not," I replied, casually beheading an officer. "They haven't heard about Hoax." I glanced at the Dragoons through the corner of my eye. "There go Dart and Rose."

Dart lifted into the air, then brought his sword down to strike the ground. "Explosion!" Three Sandorans died in the searing flames.

Rose raised one hand, opening some sort of vortex. "Demon's Gate." Another trio bit the dust.

"And that, I believe, is that," I remarked, sheathing my blade.

Lavitz nodded. "I'm going to go check for survivors." 

Author's note: Sorry for the abrupt ending, but I wasn't sure where to cut it off. Now, is anyone actually going to review this? Suggestions would be appreciated. D.S. 


	3. Chapter 3: Death of a Traitor

While Dart, Shana, and Lavitz went inside to check for survivors, I surveyed the carnage. We had been in time to save a few knights, but the Tenth and Thirteenth Knighthoods had been for all intents and purposes annihilated. A strange smell lingered in the air.

At least they didn't die alone, I thought with a sort of grim satisfaction. While the majority of the bodies were, unfortunately, Basil knights, more than a few Sandoran corpses littered the ground, including their commander, dead by Lavitz's hand.

I shook my head. "What a mess. Even without Feyrbrand, the Sandorans would have wiped out the garrison here. Using a Dragon was overkill."

"Perhaps," Rose conceded, sniffing the air. "Do you smell that?"

"Yeah." The odor was more than a little disturbing. "Do you know what it is?"

"Dragon's poison," the Dark Dragoon said grimly. "Feyrbrand was definitely here."

"I could tell that by the scorch marks." I paused. "You fought beside Feyrbrand during the Dragon Campaign. Would it be possible for you to calm him down?"

Rose shook her head. "Unlikely. Oh, he should recognize me, but it won't mean much. For Sandora to have control of him, they must have a Jade Dragoon in their service. He will be the only one the Dragon will listen to."

I shrugged. "It was worth a shot."

The others exited the fort, looking somber. "No survivors," Dart said quietly.

"I wish I could say I was surprised," I replied. "Where to now?"

"The Dragon's Nest is in a forest over Volcano Villude," Lavitz said. "We're in for a long trip."

"Then let's get going."

Volcano Villude was easily the hottest place I have ever been to, and that's saying a lot. Not surprising, perhaps, given that it was a volcano, but that didn't make it pleasant. Also not surprising was the fact that all of the local vermin were fire elemental, rendering Dart's magic virtually useless.

"Good grief, this place is hot," I said, wiping sweat from my forehead. The ground suddenly began to shake. "And what on earth is that!?"

Rose stared off into the distance. "It is…Fire Bird. This is a very bad time."

Dart asked, "Will it attack us?"

"It might."

At that moment, Fire Bird spotted us. "Run!" Dart yelled.

We fled deeper into the volcano, temporarily evading the flaming monster. Unfortunately for us, it wasn't the only monster, as I found out when a salamander almost landed on me. "Yeowch! Man, that hurt!" I slashed once with my katana, neatly beheading it. "What's next!?"

I got my answer almost at once. Shana ran off, saying a voice was calling her. She led us to a lava pool, and a very large creature. Dart and Lavitz didn't recognize it, but I immediately remembered Rose's story of the Dragon Campaign. "Is that what I think it is?"

Rose nodded. "Yes. That is a Virage."

"Wonderful." I didn't get a chance to say anything else, thanks to the Virage. As though our presence had disturbed it, it was climbing out of the lava. Now that I had a better view, I could see that this particular Virage was a mere juvenile, nowhere near as powerful as sort Rose had routinely fought millennia ago.

Lavitz twirled his spear. "Looks like we'll have to fight!" I drew my blade; Dart and Rose transformed. Shana, apparently confused, sat on the ground.

Then the Virage struck, its one arm connecting with my shoulder. I went sailing through the air and landed a good fifty feet away. "Oof!" I was thankful for my immortality; in addition to knocking the wind out of me, the Virage's attack had broken at least five ribs. Brushing myself off, I rejoined the battle, slicing the offending arm off at the elbow.

Dart, enraged, lifted higher, wreathed in flame. "Final Burst!"

Rose followed up with a bizarre spell. "Death Dimension!"

The onslaught of magic was too much for the Virage. It fell back into the lava with a splash, scorching my head. I got to my feet and joined Rose, who was gazing contemplatively at out fallen foe. It may have lived for over eleven millennia, but lava will destroy virtually anything. So it was here. Good grief, and I thought Kongol was nasty.

"Next stop, the Dragon's Nest," I said briskly.

"You're pretty confident," Dart observed.

I shrugged. "I have reason to be. Aside from Kongol and that Virage, I have yet to face any really challenging opponents."

"Be careful what you wish for," Lavitz warned. "You might get more of a challenge than you want."

"I'll take that under advisement." You have no idea what I am, Lavitz my friend. I'm sure you'll find out sooner or later, but now is not the time. There are very few people in Endiness who could challenge me and win. Dart, Rose, possibly the Dragoon we're about to take on, but few others. 

The Dragon's Nest Forest looked like any other forest you might see, but appearances can deceive. As with every other place I'd visited in this crazy world, there was a very healthy monster population. Even worse, there was a strong smell of Dragon poison. It was too slow-acting to affect me, and Dart and Rose, being Dragoons, were probably immune, but Lavitz and Shana were another matter, Shana especially.

"Do you smell that?" Rose asked in a low voice.

"I sure do," I replied, just as quietly. "I don't think it acts fast enough to affect an Immortal, but Shana and Lavitz could be in trouble."

"Yes, Shana." Rose sighed. "I wish she would stop thinking of herself as weak. It is true that she could not take me in a fight, but that doesn't make her weak. You and Dart are the only people I have met in a very long time who could defeat me."

"I'll take that as a compliment." I was about to say more, but the ground gave way right then. It turned out that we'd been walking on a giant spider web, and five people were too much for it. We all landed more or less intact, but Shana was knocked out.

"Everyone all right?" Dart called.

"I'm fine," I said.

"No problem here," Lavitz put in.

Shana woke up with a start. "I think I'm okay."

Rose didn't bother answering.

I glanced around. "Nice place we have here. Damp, cold, and underground. Perfect place to hide." A roar sounded. "Is that what I think it is?"

Dart squared his shoulders. "I guess we don't have to look for Feyrbrand."

Rose lifted an eyebrow. "What confidence you have. Is it because you are a Dragoon?"

He shrugged. "I guess so."

Shana knelt by a pool. "Guys, look at this. The water's pure."

"Even Feyrbrand needs fresh drinking water," I remarked. "If we take him out, the forest should be saved."

The five of us climbed to a higher level of the cave, killing any monsters that got in our way. The only things that gave me much trouble were the mandrakes, due to their tendency to cast water magic. As usual, Shana took care of the bats, saving us a major headache. Dart and Lavitz dealt with some lizardmen, and Rose nailed what looked like a giant, carnivorous flower.

"Who is it!?" The chamber ahead concealed more than just a Dragon. "Is that you, Lavitz!? It's so ironic to find you venturing here!"

The knight of Basil clenched his fists. "You are…Greham!"

I glanced at him. "You know this guy?"  
"I will never forget him! He used to be the head of the Second Knighthood of Basil, Greham!" Lavitz had gone red in the face. "The man who was once my father's best friend!"

I looked back at Greham. "So, you're a traitor, and a murderer, eh?"

The knight ignored me, addressing Lavitz instead. "So, you have become a Knight, fulfilling the wish of your late father Servi."

"Don't you ever mention my father's name!" Lavitz snarled.

Greham clucked. "Are you still carrying that grudge after twelve years!?"

"You killed my father! You betrayed King Albert!" Lavitz whirled his spear. "Now I get to avenge my father, who trusted you and died in vain!"

The traitor laughed mockingly. "Oh really? Let's see if you can best my newly obtained power." A gem at his neck began to glow green. "Emerge! The power of the Dragon!" A light flashed, then faded, revealing Greham in the armor of the Jade Dragoon. 

"You…you are a Dragoon!?" Lavitz gasped.

Greham smirked. "This is the power that I obtained!"

Rose glared at him. "Obtaining that power is not an easy matter. You, where did you get that Dragoon Spirit?"

He looked mildly surprised. "So there is someone in Basil who knows about this. Fine. You too will know before you die. His Majesty Doel got all his power and intelligence from Emperor Diaz."

Emperor Diaz? Come on. From what Rose has told me about the Dragon Campaign, there's no way he'd support a maniac like Doel.

Rose shook her head. "Is this some kind of dream? Emperor Diaz died eleven thousand years ago, with the name of the Holy Imperial Gloriano."

Greham laughed. "If this is a dream, how do you explain what you are about to see?" Feyrbrand crashed in behind him. "Come! I give you a chance to avenge your father, if you have the courage to fight against the legendary Dragoon!"

Lavitz answered by driving his spear into Feyrbrand's leg. Seeing my chance, I sprang into the air, slashing Greham across his right arm. Rose transformed an instant later and followed me in, striking the traitor five times in rapid succession.

Across the room, the fight with Feyrbrand wasn't going so well. Dart was relatively safe in his Dragoon armor, but Shana wasn't so fortunate. The Dragon smacked her with some kind of ooze, knocking her out. Lavitz, enraged, lunged again, this time stabbing Feyrbrand through the eye. As the insect-like Dragon fell dead, Lavitz revived Shana with some medicine.

"You've lost, Greham!" I shouted, slashing him again. "Feyrbrand's gone, so just give up!" One more strike from my katana brought the traitor to the ground.

Greham fell, coughing up blood. "You have Servi's strength. My efforts were to no avail. I even used betrayal to obtain this power."

Lavitz knelt by the dying knight. "Why did you betray him? You were not like this."

Greham coughed again. "No one…could be stronger than Servi. I had…admiration for him as a comrade…and as a friend. But, as time went by I began…to envy him, then to fear him. The fear…from realizing your own limits…the fear…that goes nowhere. All you can do is curse yourself for weakness."

"But you couldn't overcome your 'fear' by defecting to Doel, you had to overcome my father," Lavitz said.

"If I could obtain…another power, I could be equal to…or surpass him," Greham said. "That was…the Dragoon Spirit I got from His Majesty Doel." His voice was growing weak. "Lavitz, live strong. Now I can go…to be with Servi." Greham's head lolled to the side. He was dead.

"He is lucky to be dead now," Rose said quietly. "Greed for power consumes you. Unleashed power generates only sorrow. He should have known that."

Lavitz nodded, then jumped as the Jade Dragoon Spirit began to glow. "Wha…what is this?" He took a step forward, and the glow brightened.

Dart voiced what we were all thinking. "Lavitz, maybe you too are…" He didn't have to finish.

"Dart is right," Rose said. "The Dragoon Spirit of the Jade Dragon recognized you as the next master."

Lavitz looked dazed. "I am…a Dragoon? I deserve to rule Dragons?"

Rose nodded. "Not only do you 'deserve', but you have an obligation to accept your fate as a Dragoon, don't you?"

The young knight picked up the Dragoon Spirit. "This is the power Greham left me. I understand. I accept it! The fate of a Dragoon! I will use this power for justice, like Dart and Rose."

I smiled. "Congratulations, Lavitz."

"Good for you, Lavitz!" Shana added. Without warning, she keeled over. "I can't breathe."

"Too much poison!?" Dart yelped.

"We cannot carry her over Villude," Lavitz said urgently. "We'll have to go to Lohan. I heard there is a famous doctor there."

While Dart gathered Shana in his arms, I stooped and retrieved the extra Dragoon Spirit left behind by Feyrbrand's defeat. Then, I followed the others out of the cavern.

Author's Note: I just realized that I haven't provided a physical description for my main character, so here goes:

Height: 6', 3"

Weight: 150 lbs.

Age: 24

Skin: Fair

Hair: Black

Eyes: Gray

Usually wears all black, including gloves, and a long coat to hide his sword.

I hope that's enough. If you're wondering, yes, the others will find out that he's Immortal, but not quite yet. Also, I'm toying with the idea of adding a romantic component for him. Anyone like that notion? Future updates will come at irregular intervals, depending on whether I have writer's block at the time. Thanks for the reviews. D.S.


	4. Chapter 4: An Immortal Revealed

"Welcome to Lohan, where the people will try to sell you everything known to man," I muttered.

Lohan was a merchant city, neutral in the current war. Anything you could name was for sale at various prices. Weapons, food, medicine, armor, jewelry, exotic goods, and even rare antiques, could be found if you looked hard enough. At the far side of town was an arena, where the Hero Competition was held annually.

I certainly looked hard enough. While Dart and Lavitz took Shana to the clinic, Rose and I scouted the city for goods and information. The results were little goods, and less information. The best we could manage was to stock up on medicine and other supplies.

Until, that is, we came across a particularly annoying merchant on the main street. "Hey, you two! I've got something you'll like!" He held up a small, glowing gem. "This is the much talked about 'Shining Miracle Stone'! Any illness or anxiety disappears when the stone shines! A miracle! A mystery!"

"That is no mere stone, that's Belzac's Dragoon Spirit," Rose muttered. "How dare this merchant presume to sell such an item!" She almost drew her sword when I stopped her.

"Easy, Rose," I said. "We'll just have to ensure that we get a hold of it. Not by violence, though; if there's one thing I've learned as an Immortal, it's that it's usually wise to keep a low profile." I approached the merchant. "How much are you selling it for?"

He grinned. "I'm making a limited time offer of 1000 gold."

Extortionist. "I'll take it." I paid the dimwit and rejoined Rose. "Now we just have to find Dart and Lavitz."

We found them near the town entrance. "Good news, and bad news," Dart said. "The good news is there may be a cure for Shana."

"And the bad news?" Rose prompted.

"The only known cure is something called the Dragoni Plant," Lavitz replied. "Like Dragons, it was supposed to exist only in legend, but we've heard there may be some in the Shrine of Shirley, north of the Dragon's Nest."

"The Shrine of Shirley. Could that refer to the White Silver Dragoon?" I wondered.

"Yes," Rose murmured. "She was my best friend in those days. The only person who meant as much to me was Zieg."

I slashed twice with my blade, killing a pair of lizardmen. "It must have been hard when she died." I hesitated. "Rose, why are you telling me all this? For eleven millennia, only you and the Winglies of Ulara have known the truth. Now, you're spilling all sorts of stuff to a guy you've known for a week."

The Dark Dragoon was silent for a long moment. "It has been a long time since I was able to confide in someone," she said at last. "In all this time, you are the first person to see me as more than just a cold-blooded killer."

"Oh, I see you as that, too," I said with a slight grin. "Besides, you're nowhere near as nasty as some Immortals I've heard about."

"Such as?"

"Slan Quince, a guy Mac did in about three years ago. He was just plain sadistic."

"Ray, Rose," Dart called. "If you two are finished, we're almost at the shrine."

The Shrine of Shirley reminded me of some ruined temples I'd seen in Greece. Most of it was made of what I think was marble, with a dash of gold here and there. Incongruously, there were signs posted everywhere, on the walls, even a couple on the floor. I knelt to read one.

"'Don't mess with Sir Drake! Get out!'. Hmm."

The others were focused on an engraving of a Dragon on the wall. "Dragon. I hope nothing bad will happen," Dart said.

Rose frowned slightly. "Take out your Dragoon Spirits."

Dart shrugged, then complied, followed by Rose and Lavitz. They promptly started glowing. "They are resonating together!?"

Lavitz was equally astonished. "It means there is a Dragoon in there!?"

Rose walked past them. "Go and see for yourself."

As I had unfortunately expected, we faced yet more monsters in the Shrine. My first encounter was almost my last; a Crystal Golem came out of nowhere and almost punched my head off. It never had the chance, thanks to Rose, who jumped in from behind and destroyed it.

I shivered. "Thanks, Rose. I owe you one." I spun abruptly, cutting in an intricate pattern and reducing a gargoyle to ground meat. Dart and Lavitz double-teamed a giant rat, winning in seconds. "Looks like they're doing all right."

Even with our battles with monsters, it took less than an hour to reach the back of the Shrine. Despite that, we weren't home free. A bandit, the aforementioned "Sir Drake", jumped us and accused us of coming to steal treasure. He refused to listen to reason, so we were forced to beat him down.

With Drake down, Shirley, the spirit of the Shrine, appeared. "Drake, it's okay now." She looked at us. "People with Dragoon Spirits, why are you disturbing my quiet moment?"

I don't have a Dragoon Spirit, lady.

"Won't you spare us some Dragoni Plant!?" Dart pleaded. "Our friend is suffering from Dragon's poison!"

"Dragon? Oh' so they are still clinging to life. Unfortunately, I don't have any Dragoni Plant." Shirley sighed. "However, there is still a way to save her." A white gem began to glow. "The poison can be removed by the Dragoon Spirit of a White Silver Dragon, which is filled with healing magic. Now, I will test you to see if you deserve this Dragoon Spirit. Try to overcome me; if you cannot do it, the girl's fate is to die!" A circle of light appeared and descended, revealing the form of Shana. "Dart, I have been waiting. Why did you leave without saying a word?"

"To pursue the Black Monster," Dart replied, clearly unnerved by the apparition.

"The Black Monster!? Dart, what are you going to do when you find him?"

"Of course, get revenge!" Dart said.

"Revenge!?" Shirley/Shana gasped. "Dart, forget about the Black Monster, and be with me. The Black Monster or me, Dart?"

"Shana," Dart said without hesitation.

"Really!? Dart, I'm so happy!" The circle of light descended again, this time showing King Albert. He leveled a spear at Lavitz. "Lavitz, what are you doing here!? Forget Shana and go back!"

Lavitz shook his head. "That's not like you!"

"Are you disobeying my order? Choosing one over many!?"

"Shana needs me!" Lavitz said.

"Lavitz, well said. That's the renown Knight of Serdio. Life is precious, whether one life or many. Help out with Shana." Shirley resumed her true form. "Dart, going forward will bring truth as well as ordeals. And you still want to go?"

"No matter what, I will go," Dart responded.

"Lavitz, who is the most important person for you to protect?"

"Mother," Lavitz said.

"Lastly, Rose, I ask you. What does life mean to you?"

Rose sighed. "Nothing but sacrifice."

Shirley smiled. "Rose, I see the end of your agonizing journey. The young man there will awaken the old you, and help you live again. Now, illuminate the dark road with my Dragoon Spirit. The new Dragoons!"

Dart used the new Spirit to heal Drake, then we hightailed it back to Lohan.

The doctor, Sanator, almost fell over when we dashed in. "Did you find the Dragoni Plant!?"

Dart shook his head. "But with this," he produced the Dragoon Spirit, "we should be able to save her."

He placed the Spirit on Shana's chest, but before any of us could react, it began to glow painfully bright. When the light faded, Shana was sitting up, somewhat bemused, but otherwise perfectly healthy. "Dart, what is this?"

"It's the Dragoon Spirit of the White Silver Dragon," Dart said. He looked at us. "I wonder if Shana is…"

"A Dragoon!" Lavitz finished.

Rose shrugged as though it was self-evident (which it probably was). "Otherwise this much power wouldn't be drawn. Shana purged the poison with her own power."

"She's right," Sanator put in. "The poison is gone."

"Dart, what's going on?" Shana was still confused.

"I don't know if it's coincidence or fate, but you were saved by this. Do you feel it, Shana? This is the power of the Dragon…the Dragoon," Dart said.

"Yes, I can feel it. The warm power of a Dragon. Powerful, and very tender."

"Now you should no longer consider yourself weak," Rose said, far more gently than normal. "If you were weak, the Dragoon Spirit would not have chosen you."

"You should listen to her," I added, smiling a little. "You're good at range, and as the White Silver Dragoon you'll be the team medic. So don't think you're useless." I glanced at Dart. "What's the plan?"

Dart thought for a moment. "With Feyrbrand dead, Sandora has lost a huge advantage. I think we can afford to relax for a bit."

"Hmm, you defeated that Dragon," Sanator murmured. "Perhaps you should try the Hero Competition. It's being held here in Lohan."

The Dragoon of Fire grinned. "Sounds like a good idea."

Dart was the only one of us to enter. Lavitz said he was ineligible, Shana was out for obvious reasons, and Rose and I simply weren't interested. I watched Dart's first match with amusement; his opponent, a pinhead named Gorgaga, cheated right away and tried to poison him. When the effort failed, Dart merely smirked, and took him down with a single attack. Nice try, moron.

My thoughts broke off at an all-too-familiar sensation: the Buzz. Not again. I instinctively went for my sword.

"It's all right, Ray," said a familiar Scottish voice.

I turned, sagging with relief. "Mac! What in blazes are you doing here!?"

"Having a look around." The Scotsman grinned. "You make any friends here?"

"As a matter of fact, I have." I beckoned Rose over. "Rose, I'd like you to meet my teacher, Duncan MacLeod of the Clan MacLeod. Mac, this Rose, the most cold-blooded woman you will ever meet. Don't worry, she knows about our kind. Kind of hard to avoid, since she witnessed my first Quickening."

Rose shook Mac's hand. "His teacher, eh? What exactly are you supposed to teach?"

Mac shrugged. "I taught him how to survive as an Immortal, and how to use a sword."

"And he's good with it, too." Somehow, I wasn't surprised to see Joe Dawson tottering up to us. "Found a nasty guy named bin Shakr out in the prairies. That your work, Ray?"

I nodded. "Yep. You were right, too. He was a pushover." There's gotta be something big up. Watcher or no, Dawson wouldn't follow Mac into another world just for the chronicles. "Anyone else here?"

Mac nodded in turn. "Richie, Methos, and Amanda."

"Amanda? Your cat-burglar girlfriend?"

"That's the one."

I groaned. "Just great. She'll probably pop up at the least opportune moment. Now, why did you insist on tracking me down?"

Dawson sobered. "A former friend of Mac's has linked up with this Doel. Name of Kim Sun. He's using his mind drugs on the Sandoran army."

"Just great." I shook my head. "As you probably know, I've thrown in my lot with Basil. I'll take care of Kim Sun."

"Thanks." Mac glanced into the Arena. "That red swordsman a friend of yours?"

I followed his gaze. "Dart? Yeah…whoa!"

Dart had by then reached his final match, only to be utterly destroyed by his opponent, a man named Lloyd. "I've seen that guy before. No help for it now." I clapped the Scot's shoulder. "See you around, Mac, Take care." I glanced at Rose. "I've got some things to take care of. Let's meet at Sanator's place."

"Right."

My errands were forgotten almost as soon as I left the Arena. A knight of Basil, riddled with arrows, staggered into the square. "Help…"

I knelt, barely conscious of Lavitz catching up. "What happened!?"

"Bale…attacked…His Majesty Albert…captive…Hellena." The knight slumped to the ground, dead.

Lavitz started for the town gate. "King Albert! I am coming now!"

We were just barely able to restrain him, then a violet blur leapt over us and knocked Lavitz unconscious. I recognized him at once: Haschel, the master of the Rouge Art, and old friend of Dart, and third place winner at the Hero competition. "Sorry about that."

Lavitz was awake in less than an hour. "King Albert!"

Haschel snorted. "You idiot! When Knights lose self-control, their lord cannot be saved. While you were sleeping, I went to get a feel for the situation. Bale is under occupation; King Albert offered himself up as a captive so the people would be safe."

Lavitz slammed a fist against the wall. "Just because I defeated a Dragon! Why was I so whooped up!?"

"Lavitz, get a hold of yourself!" I snapped. "It's not over yet. If the remaining Knights can't do anything, we can! Let's go to Hellena and rescue the King!"

The Jade Dragoon nodded slowly. "That's right, we're still here. We can take Fruegel!"

"I'll go with you," Haschel said. "My daughter has been missing for twenty years. This won't make any difference."

"Thanks, Haschel," Dart said.

"One question," I said, feeling a little silly. "Who's Fruegel?"

"The head warden of Hellena Prison," Lavitz said tightly.

"Oh. Well then, let's get going."

Hellena Prison is best described as a cross between Devil's Island and Alcatraz, with a few nasty aspects all its own. On the plus side, the guards were less than skilled against determined armed opponents. I watched with frank admiration as Haschel took out three guards in rapid succession. Mac gave me some hand-to-hand training, but I'm nowhere near Haschel's level.

I skidded to a stop in a room near the top level. "Alright, you boneheads, take us to the King, or we'll take you out."

The leader replied by dropping us into a pit. Oh joy, oh bliss, this is just like the Rancor Pit scene in _Return of the Jedi. _That thought was more than just an aside; the pit had its own monster. Like all big monsters, Jiango was unbelievably ugly. And it smelled.

Lavitz, in no mood to play games, transformed, lunged into the air, sent a Gaspless spell into the hideous creature, and smashed a rock into tiny pieces. "That should get us out."

We charged up the stairs, bowling over anyone who got in our way. Halfway up, I paused long enough to relieve a senior warden of his head, then caught up with the others just in time to watch Shana shoot the obese Fruegel in the knee. "Nice shot!" Without further comment, I lunged to my right, stabbing a piglike creature through the heart, then jumped back as Rose's Demon's Gate spell sucked the body into oblivion.

"Great work, guys!" Lavitz shouted. He then charged Fruegel, driving his spear through the warden's heart.

A scream told us we weren't through yet. The same cloaked man I'd seen in Indels Castle was standing over the King, his hand actually _inside_ Albert's flesh. He withdrew it, holding a small gem. "I knew it was here. Moon Gem."

"Moon Gem!?" Dart gasped.

That was too much for me. I yelled and charged, brandishing my sword. I was too frenzied to notice the man's strange blade until it was far too late. I saw it at the last instant, but still wound up impaling myself. I grunted in pain, the sword falling from my hand, and found myself looking into Lloyd's blood-red eyes. "You…traitor."

Lloyd didn't answer, choosing instead to turn and run. I felt myself sliding to the floor. Blast, here we go again. I knew I was dying, the amount of blood on the floor was evidence of that. It was a lot worse than when I became Immortal; from what I'd overheard in the morgue, the knife had gone right through my heart, so I hadn't bled much then. This was different.

I felt a hand ease my head up. "Ray."

I squinted. "Rose?" My voice was barely above a whisper. "This isn't the end. Remember…I cannot die…unless…you take my head." Through the gathering mist, I saw Shana crying. "Rose…explain to them."

[POV change]

Rose gently lowered her comrade's still body to the floor. Strange, to watch a friend die, and yet to know that he will be back. She stood, retrieving the young Immortal's dragonhead katana. "We need to get out of here." Out of the corner of her eye, she saw Albert holding the Dragoon Spirit Feyrbrand had left behind.

Shana glared at her. "What about Ray!? We can't just leave him behind!" 

"I never thought even you were this cold, Rose," Dart said angrily.

Rose shook her head. "I'm not leaving him behind. We can talk as we move."

"Alright," Dart said. He stooped, and gathered Ray's lifeless body. "We can go to Seles."

Once everyone was safe in the hideaway, Rose spoke. "Ray wanted me to keep this secret when we met, because his kind are all too often shunned where he comes from, even treated as demons." I know how they feel.

Albert frowned. "'His kind'? What do you mean?"

"Our young friend is an Immortal. He does not age, and the only way he can be permanently killed is by beheading. He gave me some background, but that is not relevant at this time. One thing to remember, and this is the only reason I know about this in the first place, is what happens when one Immortal destroys another."

Lavitz raised his eyebrows. "This should be interesting."

Rose snorted. "That is an understatement. The winner absorbs the loser's power in an effect called the Quickening. I witnessed Ray's first, that's how I know."

"Okay, so he's not going to stay dead," Dart summarized. "When will he wake up?"

"I don't know." Rose went back to inspecting the Immortal's sword. Whoever forged this blade was a master craftsman. I must remember to ask Ray about it. Her thoughts came to an abrupt halt when Ray started coughing.

[Return to normal POV]

I forced my eyes to open, coughed again, and managed a weak smile. "Sorry to worry you. That's only the second time I've died."

Dart, Shana, Albert, and Lavitz just stared, but Haschel laughed appreciatively. "You can joke about your situation. That's good."

"Yeah, well, death doesn't mean the same for us as it does for most people." I stood, accepting my sword back from Rose. "Remind me to be more careful."

Dart forced himself back to the matter at hand. "Albert, what was that gem Lloyd stole?"

The king sighed. "It is a hidden treasure of Serdio, a magical artifact of the ancient Winglies. It has been sealed inside the body of each crown heir, to prevent its use for evil."

"How did Lloyd find out about it?" Rose wanted to know.

Albert winced. "I was foolish. I bought his intelligence, and employed him as an advisor. Probably he was employed by Imperial Sandora."

"I think that's a moot point," I said. "We need to take care of Emperor Doel. That maniac has one of my kind in his employ."

That got Lavitz's attention. "Who?"

"Kim Sun. For the past three centuries he's been working on some sort of mind-control drug. It strips away fear, and enhances the user's strength. It also kills him rather painfully."

The knight grimaced. "Ouch."

I raised a finger. "One more thing. Leave Kim Sun to me. If I lose, fine, take his head."

"Alright," Dart said. "Next stop: the Black Castle in Kazas."

I spat once. "Aftertaste of death. Like morning breath, only about a thousand times worse."

Kazas was the molecular opposite of Bale. Where the people of Bale were generally cheerful, despite the war, the people of Kazas were just plain gloomy. Adding to the atmosphere of tension were at least a dozen Sandoran soldiers on the main street alone.

I sighed. "I'll sneak in on my own. I think it's best that way."

Dart nodded. "Alright. Good luck, Ray."

"Keep your head on your shoulders," Haschel added.

"Thanks, guys."

Despite being the headquarters of a maniacal dictator, security at the Black Castle was surprisingly lax. Or so I thought at first; after walking for ten minutes without seeing any guards, I began to get nervous. Something's not right here. Where are all the guards? Then it hit me: the Buzz. I turned, drawing my sword in the same motion, knowing whom I'd find. "Kim Sun, what a non-surprise. I am Raymond Belmont, a student of your former friend Duncan MacLeod."

Kim Sun smiled coldly, drawing his own weapon. "So I have heard. Prepare to die."

"I don't think so." I lunged, feinted once to the left, then slashed his leg. "How's that for starters?"  
"Not bad." Kim Sun's retaliatory strike was too fast to counter, and I suddenly found myself wounded in three places, including the bridge of my nose.

"I'm just getting started." I began a long series, none quite getting through his guard, then hacked downward, nearly severing his arm at the shoulder. Kim Sun fell to his knees, and I spun once, blade held high. "Last chance. Surrender, and dispose of the drug, or you die." 

He spat at my feet.

"You leave me no choice," I said, and brought the blade down.

The Quickening was my strongest yet, more so than both previous combined. I fell to my knees, dimly aware of a Sandoran being electrocuted when he got too close. Parts of the ceiling fell in, and I fell on my face, drained physically and mentally.

"Gaspless!"

I got unsteadily to my feet, realizing belatedly that my fight with Kim Sun had taken me to an area near Doel's chamber. The others were engaged in a battle with Kongol, the Giganto we had defeated at Hoax. The spell was Albert's first, and its effect was devastating. Kongol's armor was blasted apart, and he dropped. 

"Gigantos, with strongest armor, lost. Me, brother of hero, has pride. Cannot live in disgrace. Kill me."

"As you wish." Rose prepared to strike, but Dart stopped her.

"Stop! The game is already over."

She glared at him. "Game? Don't be silly. This is a matter of life or death."

Shana knelt by the Giganto. "It's over. He cannot fight."

Rose shrugged. "Hope your sweetness won't kill you."

Paying no further attention to Kongol, we advanced into the throne room. Dimly lit, there was an aura of menace that I didn't like at all.

"So, you made it all the way here. Silly daredevils."

Emperor Doel rose from his imposing throne. "Uncle, do you remember me?" Albert asked. "I am the son of your late brother…Albert!"

Doel looked at him. "You remind me of…Carlo, twenty years ago. A bloodstained corpse in front of me."

"Why!? Why did you have to divide Serdio in two by killing my father!?" Albert demanded.

"To save Serdio from an incapable leader named Carlo."

The sheer arrogance of that statement infuriated me. "Incompetence doesn't justify fratricide, you vermin."

"Why did you have Shana taken away!?" Dart demanded.

Doel shrugged. "Oh, you are talking about Lloyd's conspiracy. Find the girl by the time the Moon That Never Sets waxes. All is ordered by the reborn Emperor Diaz. Lloyd is a mere pawn. Along with the Dragoons."

"I've heard enough," I snarled. I charged him, clashing blades three times, then driving my sword into his chest armor.

"Ugh! So you want to play tough!" he grunted. "Fine! I can play that way too!" Doel suddenly releases a tremendous amount of energy and transformed into the Violet Dragoon. "Flash Hall!"  
"Urgh!" Haschel was nearly killed, and the rest of us were sent reeling. Our Dragoons transformed, Shana's healing magic taking care of our injuries (except mine, of course). The next moments were a blur of magic and weapon blows, I took at least five more his, and Haschel was knocked out, before Dart finally struck the final blow.

Doel slowly floated to the ground. "You have become…strong."

"Uncle," Albert whispered.

"What you should know is not the past…but the future. Pursue…Lloyd. He is I the western country of…Tiberoa. He…he knows everything. Go and find out…about the world…about…everything." He fell to the floor, dead, the Dragoon Spirit leaving in search of a new master.

For a long while, no one spoke. "My uncle's…err…Emperor Doel's ambitions are over. It places an end to this ceaseless long war that has divided Serdio in two. This is the end of our journey, everyone."

Dart shook his head. "Not yet. It's not over yet! This journey began when Shana was kidnapped! I am pursuing Lloyd! I'll make him explain everything!"

"I'm with you, Dart!" Shana said.

"My journey 'cannot end' either," Albert said. "Whatever conspiracy the man is forming, the Moon Gem is one of the keys. Hallowed object of the ancient Winglies…we have to stop it before it ignites a catastrophe in Tiberoa. I'll give up my status as a king, and live as a Dragoon for a while."

"I will go with Albert." Lavitz, of course.

"I'm in, too," I said.

"Rose, what about you?" Haschel asked.

"I told you, I'm interested in you guys." A glint of almost-humor showed in her eyes. "Besides, you feel naked without me, don't you?"

"If Rose is going, then that's the end of my role." Haschel turned to leave, but he didn't get very far; the Dragoon Spirit of the Violet Dragon chose him as the next master.

"'When Dragoons meet, blood will flow, and as they leave, time does slow'," Rose said, as if quoting something. "It's your choice to leave your fate behind."

Haschel held up his Spirit. "The question is answered!"

"Dragoon Spirits are leading us!" Dart explained.

Author's note: Man, that was a long one! Since I kept Lavitz alive, I brought in an extra Dragoon Spirit so Albert could become a Dragoon anyway, and to account for the visual differences between Albert's and Lavitz's armor. (One reason I kept him alive was because I really hate his death scene, one of only two video game scenes that have ever brought me to tears, the other being Aeris's death in Final Fantasy 7. Thanks for all the reviews. D.S. 


	5. Chapter 5: Bandits

Once again, I own none of this.

We arrived in Fletz, the capital of Tiberoa, about a week after the end of the Serdian War. We could probably have made the trip faster, but we were all exhausted from the battle with Doel, and Haschel needed to get accustomed to his new Dragoon powers. At least he had it easier than Dart; Dart had thought Dragoons were a myth, and then he suddenly became one.

"So, what's with all the star shapes?" I asked, glancing around. There were stars everywhere, sculptures, paintings, even mosaics in the streets. "Is this some kind of national obsession?"

Albert shrugged. "The Tiberoans have an advanced astronomy. They put their faith in the stars."

I snorted derisively. "Faith in the stars? Please. That is well and truly idiotic. The stars are nothing more than glowing balls of plasma."

"Don't you care about their beliefs?" Dart asked, annoyed.

"No, I don't," I shot back. "Sorry, Dart, but I have more important things to worry about than offending some local." How right I was; just as I finished speaking, I felt the presence of another Immortal. Now what?

"What's wrong, Ray?" Shana asked.

"There's another Immortal nearby." I drew my sword. "I am Raymond Belmont. Show yourself." I am so tired of saying that.

A woman stepped out of a building ahead. Tall, fair, short black hair, carrying a narrow double-edged sword, and a general air of mischief, I identified her easily enough. Only one person that could be. I sheathed my sword. "Amanda." It wasn't a question.

"That's right." The thousand-plus-year-old larcenist smiled and replaced her own weapon. "And you're Duncan's new student."

I nodded. "I see he mentioned me. Now, I know why Mac and Dawson cornered me in Lohan, but what are _you _doing here?"

Amanda jerked her head at the city gate. "This country has some major bandit trouble. I'm going to do something about it."

"This from a lifelong thief? Come on, I'd have thought you'd see them as kindred spirits."

Her eyes narrowed. "I'm into theft, not murder. These guys will kill over a scrap of meat. I don't like that."

"I guess not." I waved at the Dragoons. "Don't worry about this bunch. They know about our kind, since I impaled myself on a nasty sword. Speaking of which…" I turned to Rose. "Just what did that maniac hit me with, anyway?"

She frowned. "It is called the Dragon Buster, a weapon made to kill Dragons. Even Dragoon armor is of little use against it."

"The question is, how did Lloyd get his hands on it?" I turned back to Amanda. "Have you seen the guy? He's tall, with platinum hair and blood-red eyes. He wears a black and silver outfit, no sleeves, and carries two swords. One is a basic longsword, the other is the aforementioned Dragon Buster. It looks like a flame."

"Oh, him." Amanda grimaced. "He showed up about three days ago."

"Any idea where he went?"

"Not a clue." She glanced down the street. "I've got to get going." Before I could say anything else, she was gone.

Haschel laughed. "She's quite spirited. Have you met before?"

"She's an immortal thief, is what she is," I retorted. "And no, I haven't actually met her before, though Mac's mentioned her often enough. Now, what say we get back to business."

The seven of us soon wandered into the main square. I broke away at that point, deciding to make a few small purchases. I don't see any bandits. Why is everyone so nervous in broad daylight? Shoving that thought aside, I stepped into the local weapon shop. "Excuse me."

The owner looked up. "What can I do for you, sir?"

"I need a new weapon. Something simple, yet effective." I gestured to my sword. "I'm good with a blade, but I need something as a backup, preferably something I can use to disarm my opponent."

He smiled. "I have just the thing." The man reached into a locker, and withdrew a long staff. "A quarterstaff should suit your needs."

I took the staff, swinging it experimentally. "Light, good balance, decent reach. I'll take it. How much?"

"Three hundred gold will suffice."

"Done." I paid him, then left to find my companions. It didn't take long. "What did I miss?"

Dart rolled his eyes. "Princess Emille, the heir to the Tiberoan throne, showed up and decided to give her people a hefty dose of insults."

"Sounds like a spoiled brat," I commented sourly, adding, "So why does Albert look so down?"

"He'd heard she was very sweet, so her behavior came as a major shock." Dart shook his head. "If that Immortal was right, an obnoxious princess is the least of our worries."

"No kidding. Why don't we try the bar? They almost always have info if you know how to ask."

Don't they ever get tired of stars!? Even in the tavern, the star motif predominated. Not just in the décor; it featured an annoyingly chatty waitress, who kept yapping about stars until even Albert wanted her to shut up. As for the others, Haschel looked amused, Shana interested, Dart bored, Lavitz polite, and Rose just shy of murderous. Does that girl _ever_ shut up!?

The bartender interrupted my thoughts. "What'll it be?"

I looked up, slightly startled. "Oh. I'll have a beer." When it came, I glanced at my beleaguered comrades. "Does that waitress ever shut up?"

The bartender followed my gaze. "Hey, Kaffi! Don't give the customers a hard time!" He refocused on me. "You sure you're old enough to drink?"

I shrugged. "I'm old enough to kill, so I think I'm old enough to drink. I'm twenty-four." I downed the rest of the glass and paid the man. "I'd better get moving."

"Watch out for the bandits."

"Right."

I wandered out of the bar about an hour after Dart and the others. Night had fallen by then, so I concentrated on finding a place to sleep. A lot of Immortals, myself included, tend to exude an aura of menace when going about in unfamiliar territory, so the bandits gave me a wide berth. Cowards, I thought with contempt. They wouldn't pose the slightest threat to one of us. Even Shana would have little trouble with such vermin. Finding a relatively isolated place, I pulled the quarterstaff from my back and began a brief (for me) practice session. [A/N: Think Kilik from Soul Calibur.]

"Ray! Over here!"

I turned; Shana was standing near a small house, waving for me. "Coming!"

The house belonged to a man named Nello, the representative for the Green Project, whose goal was the reforestation of the Barrens. Not surprisingly, he insisted on chatting about it all night. Fortunately for my sanity, Albert was willing to talk to him, allowing the rest of us to get some sleep.

Rose sat across from me. "May I ask you something?"

"Sure."

"That sword you carry. I've never seen anything like it."

I unsheathed my blade and regarded it. "Mac gave it to me, the day I began my training. 'Take care of it, and it will take care of you,' he said. We Immortals live and die by the sword, or on occasion the axe. The only Immortal I know of who doesn't carry a blade is a man named Darius. About fifteen hundred years ago, he became a holy man, thus effectively removing himself from the 'Game'."

Rose lifted an eyebrow. "How does that help him?"

"We cannot fight on holy ground. That means churches, temples, cemeteries, anything someone considers holy is off limits. The specific religion is irrelevant." I shook my head. "Anyway, the katana was originally designed in an island nation called Japan. The sort of blade I carry was designed for use by the Samurai, a supposedly honorable warrior class. I say supposedly because they could behead people for not bowing down to them. A katana takes a very long time to make, often as long as three years. My weapon was forged about five hundred years ago, by a craftsman whose name has been forgotten."

"I saw some strange markings on the blade, near the handguard."

I smiled. "Those are Japanese symbols. They spell my sword's name: Ryu-Kokyu, Dragon-Breath. Duncan and his cousin Connor both use similar dragonhead katanas. I don't know where Mac came up with this one."

"It is very beautiful." 

My smile widened. "I never thought I'd hear you say that. Yes, a katana is as much a work of art as a weapon. Despite that, it will cut through flesh and bone like warm butter, as you have seen."

She leaned back. "What about that Immortal we met earlier today?" she asked, changing the subject.

I frowned. "Amanda? I don't know, but from what Mac's told me, her presence could be very good or very bad. Which it is depends on the precise situation here in Tiberoa. She's not going to take my head, if that's what you're asking." I yawned. "Now, if you'll excuse me, I'm going to bed."

The Barrens reminded me of a trip to Arizona I'd taken the year before. Very little plant life, a lot of rock and sand, and monsters ad nauseam. (Okay, maybe the last one isn't like Arizona.) The only sort of vermin that gave me any trouble was a creature that looked like a mutant centaur with a bow and arrow. It fell to my blade after shooting me once.

"What kind of a place is this!?" Lavitz asked rhetorically, impaling a giant lizard.

"A desert with a healthy monster population," Rose replied coolly. "What did you expect?"

We never found out what Lavitz would have expected; a maniacal cackling sounded from a stone ridge ahead. I looked up, and saw three monkey-like bandits leering down at us. More vermin to exterminate. How very delightful.

The middle one cackled again. "Are you dating those girls in a place like this!?"

Dart seemed puzzled. "Who are you?"

The bandit on the right laughed. "Did you hear that!? They are asking us 'who we are'!"

"Maybe they think we're a bunch of doctors!" the third cracked.

"Should be a quack!" the first cackled. They leaped down. "We're the one and only Gehrich Gang!"

The Red-Eye Dragoon snorted. "They have no class."

"What's that!?" the right-hand bandit demanded, outraged. "Yo, Mappi, how should I cook these dumbheads!?"

Mappi pretended to think; I guess real thinking was beyond his capabilities. "I know! Let's get the money!"

Albert rolled his eyes. "We have nothing to give you. But if you insist, how about a 'miserable ending' for you."

"Stop yapping! Just leave your valuables! That's the deal!" Mappi snapped.

Dart drew his sword. "Get out of our way. We have no time for you."

Rose followed suit. "This is your last chance. Get out of our way or you'll need a real doctor."

The bandits responded by charging us. This of course was suicide; the one who tried for me caught an arrow from Shana in the throat just as Ryu-Kokyu bisected him. Rose, cool as ever in battle, disposed of the other henchmonkey with a stab to the heart.

Dart wasn't so lucky. He defeated Mappi easily enough, but the deranged bandit stole his Dragoon Spirit. Rose tried to catch Mappi, but the lunatic was too fast. He vanished, still cackling.

Dart slammed a fist on the ground. "How could I be so stupid!?"

"Calm down, Dart," I said. "Albert, do you know where the nearest town is?"

The king nodded. "Donau the Flower City is a few miles to the north. We should be there by midday."

"That's a relief," Dart said, regaining his composure. "Maybe we can find out more about this Gehrich Gang."

We found out more, all right, more than we wanted to know. Donau would have been quite a beautiful town, but Gehrich's bandits spoiled the effect, to put it mildly. As a result, the people of Donau lived in almost constant fear, despite the idyllic setting. 

"I'm going to see if anyone here knows anything useful," I said.

Dart nodded. "Alright. Be careful."

My search was unfortunately fruitless. Some people obviously knew more about the Gehrichs than they were letting on, but fear kept them quiet. In all honesty, I didn't blame them. With some of the gang in town at all times, playing "stool pigeon" would have been suicidal. These bandits make me sick.

"Ray, come on."

I turned. "What's up, Lavitz?"

"We're going to see the Mayor," Lavitz said. "A young lady asked us to help her fiancée, who happens to be the Mayor's son."

"If it hurts the bandits, it helps us," I said. "I'll be right there."

There isn't much to say about the meeting. The Mayor asked us to rescue his son, we agreed and went on our way. One thing made me very nervous; the Gehrichs were rumored to be based past a place called the Valley of Corrupted Gravity. Corrupted gravity. That is a very bad sign. I sighed. o I want to know what's next?

A commotion at the bottom of the stairs told me what was next. Three obnoxious bandits were scared off by a teenage girl with a very large hammer. She could stand to wear a little more. The girl was a dancer, judging by what there was of her outfit. Her most noticeable feature was her hair, a bluish-platinum color. Now, who does that remind me of? Then it hit me. Lloyd.

The girl abruptly noticed us and raised her hammer. "Are you with the Gehrichs? Do you want me to smash you too?"

"It's alright," Dart said. "We're not with them."

"What's your name?"  
"It's Dart," Dart said, bemused.

The girl twirled once. "Mine's Meru! I'm the best dancer in Donau!"

"Let's go," I said. "We need to move fast if we're going to help Lynn."

"You're going to help Lynn!?" Meru demanded. "Then I'm going, too!" No matter what we said, she just wouldn't take no for an answer. Dart relented after a long argument.

We were able to reach Fletz without incident, only to be unable to see the King. The guard insisted that, since we were strangers, we had to find someone to vouch for us first. Of all the things we do not need. This is going to take time that we don't have. "Anyone know someone we can ask?"

Dart did. "We can ask Fester the astronomer. He works as a governor for Princess Lisa, Emille's younger sister."

"Then let's go see him. We need to get that Dragoon Spirit back soon."

Fester was more than happy to help. He took us to the castle that night, making our job a whole lot easier. I for one was relieved; the last thing we needed was yet another delay. Now let's just hope that Emille doesn't interfere. I don't care if I offend the locals, but getting on a king's bad side is generally a bad move.

As befitted a star-worshiping country, the throne room was called the Chamber of the Sun, where King Zior resided. I have to admit I wasn't impressed. Though middle-aged, Zior was more than a little addlebrained. Something's not right here.

We knelt, and Dart spoke. "Your Majesty, we have come to ask for permission to enter the Valley of Corrupted Gravity."

"Hmm," the king murmured. "I think I've heard of the Valley of Corrupted Gravity."

Is he senile!? I forced my voice to remain level. "Your Majesty, we are not interested in being daredevils. The Gehrich Gang stole something very important from us, and the Mayor of Donau has asked us to rescue his son."

That seemed to penetrate Zior's fog. "Very well. Servant! Give them a pass."

"Thank you, Your Majesty," Dart said, visibly relieved.

I was left alone for a while after the audience. Princess Lisa asked to speak with Dart and Albert (supposedly, she knew Albert was a king because of astrology). Not wanting to irritate the more well-behaved Princess with my opinions of such things, I demurred, preferring solitude.

About an hour later I felt a hand on my shoulder. "Mr. Belmont?"

I turned; it was Libria, Lisa's maid. "What is it?"

"Dinner is ready."

I nodded. "I'll be right there."

That dinner is not one of my fondest memories. Emille ate like an animal, Zior kept apologizing for her, Fester offended her, and she, in turn, managed to fluster Lisa by referring to astronomy as "useless." On the plus side, the food was good and plentiful. I may be immortal, but starving to death isn't fun, especially when you can do it more than once.

"You! What's your name!?" Emille snapped at me.

I kept a firm hold on my temper. "I am Raymond Belmont." I paused, deciding to shake things up a little, doubting that Emille would believe me. "And I am immortal."

There was no sign Zior even heard, Fester stared in shock, and Lisa froze in mid-chew. Emille's reaction, however, was quite revealing. She went pale, her mouth opening a little, a fork forgotten in her hand. She knows. How?

"Emille" recovered quickly. "Yeah, right."

"Did you catch her reaction?" Rose whispered.

"How could I not?" I whispered back. "She knows about Immortals. And I think she's an imposter. Be careful."

The rest of the meal passed without incident, and we retired to our room. What the king had forgotten to warn us about, apparently, was that we had an extra roommate---and Immortal, to be exact. What does _she_ want? I thought in despair.

She smiled. "I heard about your audience. Going hunting?"

"Why do you care, Amanda?" I snapped, not bothering to hide my anger.

Amanda shrugged. "The bandits need to be taken out. I'm going along."

I sighed. "I'm not going to be able to talk you out of this, am I?"

"Nope." She smiled sweetly.

"Whatever." I sighed again. "Don't worry, Dart, she won't slow us down. An Immortal doesn't survive more than a thousand years without being skilled with a sword."

"I'm only staying long enough to do in the Gehrichs," Amanda added. "Then you'll be rid of me."

"Fine," I said. "Let's get some sleep." 

Author's note: Not much action here, but that will change. Before anyone reminds me, yes, I know Darius gets offed at the end of Highlander's first season. I have him alive because I don't like that. (To be fair to the producers, they didn't have much choice, since Werner Stocker is dead.) I have Amanda here because I figure a thief would be helpful in catching other thieves. Since this is an A.U. story, there will be some major changes towards the end. Thanks again for the reviews. D.S.


	6. Chapter 6: New Allies and New Enemies

Disclaimer: Ray Belmont is mine, nothing else.

The Valley of Corrupted Gravity was without a doubt the most surreal place I have ever been to in my life. As the name suggests, it was very difficult to tell which way was up. Rocks floated aimlessly, one almost catching Meru in the head. This effect at times worked to our advantage, allowing us to reach areas that would have been otherwise inaccessible.

"The things I'll do for money," Amanda said, expertly dispatching a large bird.

I shot her one annoyed glance. "We're not doing this for money, we're doing it to rescue the son of the Mayor of Donau, to rid Tiberoa of the scourge of the Gehrichs, to find out 'Emille's' connection to them, and to recover Dart's Dragoon Spirit."

She smiled mischievously. "I can hope, can't I?"

I moaned in despair. Though a powerful warrior, Amanda's main goal in life seemed to be to make money in as many shady ways as possible. She'd already managed to irritate Shana by making a pass at Dart, who didn't seem to notice. I am _so_ glad she won't be with us long.

I chopped a dragonfly in half. "Amanda, in case you haven't noticed, we have a job to do. For once in your life, concentrate on that." How on earth does Mac put up with her?

"Oh, all right," she said mock-petulantly. "By the way, what exactly is a Dragoon Spirit?"

"It's best described as the soul of a Dragon. There were originally seven." I switched to my staff. "One for each of seven elements: Fire, Wind, Earth, Light, Darkness, Water, and Thunder. Dart is the Dragoon of Fire, Albert and Lavitz for Wind, Haschel for Thunder, Rose has Darkness, and Shana has Light. I found the Golden Dragoon Spirit in Lohan, but we don't have a bearer yet. I don't know where the Blue Sea Spirit is." I smacked a kiwi-like animal off a cliff. "One more thing: If you steal any of the Dragoon Spirits, I will take your head myself, and explain why to Mac later. You have been warned."

"I understand." She moved off, joining Meru at the front.

"You don't like her, do you?"

I jumped. "Rose, my friend, you have a gift for understatement. I don't understand how Mac puts up with her."

Rose shrugged. "Having met your friend MacLeod, I think there must be more to this thief than meets the eye."

"If you say so." I switched back to my sword and began rhythmically dicing a few urchins. Rose followed, her rapier destroying a roc. "My problem is Amanda excels at getting people into trouble. She has a very long history of crime, dating back eight hundred years at the very least. You ever meet anyone like that?"

She shook her head. "Since the end of the Dragon Campaign, I've kept to myself for the most part, except for the Winglies in Ulara."

"Sounds rough…" I trailed off, sensing the presence of another Immortal. "We've got company."

Dart overheard. "Where?"

"Up ahead."

We sped up, ignoring the small fry trying in vain to catch us. At the far end of the valley, an unpleasantly familiar sight awaited us: a Virage, this one fully formed. 

"What's that!?" Meru wanted to know.

"It's called a Virage," Dart said grimly. "A monster the Winglies used during the Dragon Campaign. We fought one in Volcano Villude, in Serdio. They're extremely dangerous."

"What is worse is that this one has the complete form," Rose said. "This will be a difficult battle."

Amanda pointed to an area in front of the Virage. "Someone's gotten there ahead of us."

I looked, and felt the blood drain from my face. The Virage's opponent was the Immortal I'd sensed earlier. The guy looked about thirty, with black hair and a pail complexion. He wore all black, and wielded a long two-handed sword. I recognized him, of course. What is _he_ doing here!?

"You know who it is, Ray?" Lavitz asked.

I nodded. "I do indeed. Methos, the oldest surviving Immortal. He's more than five thousand years old."

Haschel whistled. "And I thought I was old. Shouldn't we help him?"

"Of course we should," Dart responded. "He doesn't stand much chance against a Virage." With that, he leapt forward, brandishing his sword as he went. The rest of us followed close behind, knowing full well that we needed to keep together to win.

I dove to the right and tackled Methos just before a sweep of the Virage's arm would have beheaded him. "Fancy meeting you here, old man."

He glared at me. "Ray Belmont. What in blazes are you doing here?"

"I was going to ask you that." I hacked off the Virage's left arm. "Amanda's along to take out the Gehrichs, Meru's playing tour guide, and I'm helping my friends avert a disaster. How about you?"

Methos sighed. "I was looking for a better way to avoid the Game, and wound up here. Now, shouldn't we be fighting?" he added acidly.

"Oh, I think the others can handle it."

Methos's eyes narrowed suspiciously. "And just what do you mean by that?"

I smiled and waved at my friends. "Behold the Legend of Dragoon."

He spun around, just in time to witness a series of Dragoon transformations. Rose, encased in a black sphere; Lavitz and Albert, inside twin storms; Shana, suspended in a pillar of light; and Haschel, struck by lightning. "What…was that?"

I couldn't help laughing; I'd never seen Methos shocked before. "That was the power of the Dragoon, the Knight of the Dragon. Sometimes referred to as the incarnations of Dragons, because of their armor, they are the strongest warriors this planet has ever seen. Dart is a Dragoon as well, but his Spirit was stolen, which is why we're going through this surreal place."

Methos forced his jaw closed, and some of his usual cynicism appeared to reassert itself. "They can fly. So what?"

Instead of answering, I nodded to the Dragoons. The Virage was under a massive assault; Haschel's Thunder God and Lavitz's Wing Blaster pummeled it without mercy. Albert played mostly defense, his Rose Storm keeping us from being hurt too badly. Oddly enough, Shana and Rose stuck together, Shana as medic, and Rose draining the Virage's health and giving it to us. "You were saying?"

The oldest Immortal shook his head in disbelief. "In five thousand years, I've never seen anything like that. They could give even us trouble, especially the dark woman."

I chuckled. "Fortunately, Rose is my friend. And don't underestimate the others, particularly Dart." Just as I finished, Dart charged again, knocking the Virage to the edge of a cliff. "See?"

It wasn't quite over. The Virage started to reach for Shana, but was countered by the same beam of light that had destroyed the Guardian of the Limestone Cave. A Virage was too tough to disintegrate, but not tough enough to survive. It fell backwards, out of sight. 

Rose reached her first. "Shana! What on earth are you…to Virage!?"

"I don't know! I don't know anything!" Shana covered her face.

Dart hurried to comfort her. "There is no more Virage!"

Shana shivered, then looked up. "It's okay now."

I was less sanguine. What is it with Shana and Virages? Why do they respond to her? I shook my head. No time for that now. We have to get moving.

"Ray."

I started. "What, Methos?"  
"Do you think you friend would mind if I joined your little band?"

I frowned. "What's this all of a sudden? You're not exactly known for altruism."

Methos shrugged. "I guess MacLeod the Boy Scout is starting to rub off on me. Besides," he added in a grim tone, "there's something about that girl."

"No kidding." The others had started moving again, so we hurried to catch up. "That's the second time this has happened. Last time she made a giant worm/snake monster crumble to dust. I think we'll find out more when we least want to."

I would have enjoyed the Home of Giganto, were it not for the presence of bandits. From what I could tell, it was the Gehrichs who nearly exterminated the Gigantos some twenty years before. Kongol was the only survivor I had encountered, but that didn't mean he was the only one left. Dodos and passenger pigeons may be extinct, but destroying a sentient species is much more difficult.

"Long ago, this was a thriving city," Rose murmured. "Some Gigantos joined our cause during the Dragon Campaign, largely thanks to Belzac."

"What sort of lifespan do they have?" Methos asked. Rose had let him in on her secret when we left the Valley.

"The same as humans, for the most part." Rose sighed. "They fought bravely, but were no match for the Winglies, as they have little skill in magic."

Up ahead, Dart signaled us to halt. "There's someone here."

Actually, there were many someones. Methos and I had our swords out in an instant, and we found ourselves in a major melee. Shana immediately transformed, needing the protection Dragoon Armor afforded. Everyone else fought as they were, since these bandits were no real threat.

"What do you think, Belmont?" Methos called, his Ivanhoe neatly decapitating two simultaneously.

I slashed one bandit's throat, then shifted to my staff and bashed another's head in. "What I think is that these morons are suicidal. I've fought street thugs that were stronger."

Meru flattened another pair, all humor gone now. "That's for Lynn!"

"And for the Gigantos!" Lavitz added, impaling a berserker. He took great exception to genocide. (As do I.)

Apparently, the Gehrichs weren't ready for such a determined foe. The survivors fled, yelping, leaving us amid a pile of corpses. For our part, we were mostly unhurt; I'd received a cut to the arm that healed almost instantly. Meru had the only major injury, and Shana's magic took care of that in an instant.

Amanda shook her head. "What a mess. Why would bandits charge us like that?"

"It's probably because of the Dragoon Spirit," Rose said. "I highly doubt that they know what it is, but they obviously know it is important to us."

"All the more reason to get it back," Lavitz put in. "What is it, Haschel?" he asked, seeing the martial artist's pensive look.

"I know Gehrich," Haschel replied. "He was a student of mine, twenty years ago. I kicked him out because of his lack of discipline. Now I see that I was right."

"Can we talk about this later?" I swung Ryu-Kokyuu for emphasis. "We really don't have much time. That Dragoon Spirit is essential, and I wouldn't put it past Gehrich to off Lynn."

"Ray's right," Dart said. "We don't have time."

We got to the main hideout without further opposition. A tall, dark, mustachioed man awaited us inside: Gehrich. He wasn't alone; the monkeylike gangster Mappi crouched to one side, cackling to himself. Cackle while you can, Mappi. Your life ends here. 

Haschel shook his head in disgust. "Gehrich, you haven't changed a bit."

Gehrich froze. "M, Master."

Mappi jumped. "Master of the Rouge School?"

Haschel snorted. "Head of the bandits? How low you have fallen. I was right to kick you out."

"Yes! You were right! Thanks to you, I gained freedom! I am not the man you knew!" The bandit leader seemed agitated.

The Violet Dragoon was having none of that. "Martial arts is the heart. When you hit, your fist aches, and your heart aches. Except it seems your heart has forgotten the ache."

"Shut up! I'll shut you up!" Mappi snarled. He lunged at Haschel, but never got there; one sweep of Ryu-Kokyuu cut him in half.

Enraged, Gehrich faced Haschel squarely. "Then why don't you remind me of your so-called aching heart!" He drew a knife and charged, narrowly missing Haschel's face. The Rouge Master replied with a snap kick to the sternum, slamming Gehrich into a wall. Haschel pressed his advantage, a one-two combo smacking the bandit off his feet.

"Quite a show, isn't it?" Methos murmured, sounding amused.

"You got that right." I winced as Gehrich managed to get in a solid blow, only to be smashed into his own chair. "I've had some hand-to-hand training, but Haschel's way out of my league." The room abruptly started shaking. "What's going on!?"

Albert looked up, and his expression turned to one of horror. "Part of the statue is collapsing!"

"Time slowed" is a cliché, but in this instance it was all too appropriate. The statue's arm fell toward us, seemingly in slow motion. I saw my friends visibly brace themselves for the end. Even though I knew I would survive, I felt a sense of doom. Is this how they end? Crushed by a chunk of rock!?

The piece of statuary came to a sudden stop nine feet above us, held up by the last person I would have expected as a rescuer. He was a huge being, tall and muscular, with a giant axe strapped to his back. The familiar warrior was clad in fur, just as when we first encountered him.

Dart gaped in complete astonishment. "Kongol!?"

The Giganto heaved once, throwing the statue arm into a pit.

I glanced at Haschel. "Will Gehrich survive?"

He sighed. "Barely, at least for now. But if the Giganto over there hadn't saved us, he would be completely dead, and us too."

Dart gazed at Kongol, obviously confused. "Kongol, why are you here? Why did you save us?"

"It's a strange way to get revenge on us," Rose said. "What's going on in your mind?"

Kongol shrugged. "The war is over. We are no longer enemies."

Albert's eyes narrowed. "Your speech is different."

The Giganto smiled slightly. "My broken speech patterns were nothing more than a ruse. Sometimes it helps to be underestimated. Only Emperor Doel knew the real me."

"That still doesn't explain why you came here," Lavitz said. "Why would you save us? We nearly killed you twice."

Kongol sighed. "This is a holy place for my people. Twenty years ago, bandits came. They killed most of us. I was still small, and ran. Emperor Doel saved me, so I fought for him out of gratitude."

I exchanged a glance with Methos. "Oops." When Kongol looked at me, I explained, "Methos and I are Immortals, a special breed of human who can only die by beheading. There's a lot that goes along with it, but what's important here is that we're not supposed to fight on holy ground."

The Giganto chuckled, then resumed his story. "Emperor Doel said a strong leader was needed, to make a world where all the species are equal. Whether you can be leader, I will watch to the end, to prevent this from happening again."

Rose snorted derisively. "There is no such thing as a world where 'equal' exists. All we have is killing and being killed."

Dart waved that away. "You're welcome to join us, Kongol."

A groan diverted my attention; Gehrich was coming around. "I'm happy…to receive your fist, Master."

Haschel tried to quiet him. "Shut up. Talking makes you die."

Gehrich chuckled hoarsely; he was obviously dying. "I gotta tell you this…or I'll die…as a real fool. It's about…the Princess Emille in the castle…she's a fake. We switched her…six months ago. The real one…is hidden…in the castle…" His head lolled to one side. He was dead.

Haschel rose, bearing Gehrich's limp form. "I'll catch up with you later. I have to entomb him." He departed.

"Kongol, do you know where the bandits kept valuables?" Dart asked.

The Giganto pressed a button at the top of Gehrich's chair. It promptly sank into the floor, revealing a set of stairs. "What you seek should be down there."

"Thanks."

I was suddenly conscious of a low-level ringing sound, coming from my pocket. I reached in, and withdrew the Dragoon Spirit of the Golden Dragon. "Kongol, I believe this belongs to you."

Kongol gazed in wonder at the Spirit. "Is this the same power that your friends used on me?"

I grinned. "Yep. Welcome, Dragoon of the Golden Dragon. Your magic is somewhat weaker than the rest, but that's not saying much." I turned at the sound of footsteps. "Hey guys, I've found a bearer for the Golden Dragoon Spirit."

"Excellent. That just leaves the Blue Sea Spirit," Rose said, sounding as close to pleased as I'd ever heard her. "If what we've seen so far is any indication, Lloyd probably has it."

"Wonderful." I grimaced, then looked at Amanda. "So, that's it for you?"

She smiled. "For now, at least. Maybe we'll meet again." Amanda left. For now, she says. I do not like the sound of that.

Dart's Dragoon Spirit flared, covering him in fire, and leaving behind the armor of the Fire Dragoon. "Let's go, people. We have to get back to Fletz." 

Author's note: Some explanations are in order. First, I have never played Castlevania, I just picked the name Belmont at random. Second, I misspelled the name of Belmont's sword in the previous chapter; "Ryu-Kokyu" would come out as "Dragon-Cuckoo", which doesn't make any sense. Finally, I portrayed Kongol differently because I do not for an instant believe that a Dragoon Spirit would choose a moron as its master. (By the way, you haven't seen the last of Amanda.) Thanks again for the reviews. D.S. 


	7. Chapter 7: Battles and Reflections

Same disclaimer as usual.

Seven Dragoons, a dancer, a mayor's son, and two Immortals trudged through the Barrens, aiming for the crossing in the center. Lynn and Meru were to head for Donau, which was hopefully free of bandits, while the rest of us were bound for Fletz, intent on disposing of the imposter in the Twin Castle.

"This is quite a place," Methos commented.

I glanced at him. "What do you mean?"

He shrugged. "A lot more danger than back home, for one thing. Not to mention three different sentient races."

"Five," Rose corrected. "Humans, Gigantos, mermaids, Minintos, and Winglies. Of those five, humans and Winglies are the only species to have much impact. The Gigantos are nearly extinct, and the mermaids and Minintos tend to keep to themselves."

"Pity." Methos paused long enough to eviscerate a giant scorpion. "Where's this fork in the road?"

"Right here." Dart shook Lynn's hand. "Be careful on your way."

Lynn smiled. "Thank you, Dart. Now Donau is saved."

Dart turned to the dancer. "Thank you for your guidance, Meru."

She jumped. "What are you talking about? It's not over yet."

"Huh?"

"Dart's journey won't be easy." Meru sounded unusually thoughtful. "What you guys do isn't normal. Monsters like Virage appear, Dragoons, Gigantos…I thought they were fairy tales. I can't explain it, but I think there's still something can help with." She smiled. "So let's get going. We're in a hurry, right?"

Dart chuckled. "It'll continue to be like a traveling three-ring circus." He glanced back at Lynn. "Say hello to Kate for us."

The other smiled. "Please come to our wedding! We're having it tomorrow if possible! Bon voyage!"

"This is getting crazier all the time," I muttered, watching Lynn depart. "Amanda was bad enough, but at least she didn't stay long. Meru acts like she's on a perpetual sugar high."

"Oh, I don't know," Methos muttered back. "I think it's quite refreshing. At least she can't behead us with that hammer."

"Whatever." We traveled the rest of the way in silence, ignored by the local vermin. Despite my annoyance, I had the odd feeling that Meru's presence would be very important in our journey. There was clearly more to her than was readily apparent, or so I gathered from Rose's lack of objections to her. Great, now I sound like I believe in fate. I shrugged. She can fight, that's what's important for now.

We arrived in Fletz just in time. The sound of music could be heard in the distance, telling us that the Coming of Age ceremony, where the Moon Dagger would be passed to Princess Emille, was about to begin. We had to hurry.

"Lloyd took the Moon Gem. Want to bet this imposter is working with him?" I said, skidding to a halt just inside the castle.

Dart jerked a quick nod and led us up the stairs, only to be obstructed by a pair of "knights", actually bandits. "We need to see King Zior. It's urgent."

The bandits refused. "The Ceremony ain't for commoners like you!" one snapped.

"And you call yourselves knights!?" Lavitz snorted.

The bandits feigned disbelief. "What do you mean!? We're the authentic Knights of Tiberoa!"

"No, you're bandits," I said coldly. "As such, you are vermin." Drawing my sword, I cut down both before they could say another word. "Dart, Methos and I can hold them. You'd better find the real Princess."

"Right."

Methos stepped over the bodies. "If she's an imposter, why doesn't the King know?"

"Since she's probably working with Lloyd, I'd guess some sort of magic." I grimaced. "She is not a nice person."

She also wasn't pleased to see us. "Hey! What're you doing here!? This is supposed to be a private ceremony!"

"Shut up," I snapped. "King Zior, this woman is a fake. She made the switch six months ago, with the help of the Gehrichs."

"Come on," "Emille" said. "I'm the real thing."

"If she's the real princess, then Tiberoa is doomed," Methos said under his breath.

I leveled my sword. "Your Majesty, any minute now Dart will be here with proof: the real Emille." Dart arrived just as I finished speaking. "See?"

Caught in the act, the imposter snatched the Moon Dagger from Zior and leaped onto the balcony. "Don't you think it's too late? I've got this in my hand."

"Who are you!?" Dart snarled.

"Emille" shrugged. "I guess I can't run in this stuffy dress. I'll show you my true self." There was a flash of light, and a platinum-haired woman in revealing armor stood before us. "Surprised, huh!? This is the true self of Miss Lenus!"

Dart drew his sword. "Look around." He gestured to us, all with weapons ready. "Your only chance is to give up."

Lenus laughed. "A girl in love doesn't know the meaning of the words 'give up'! I've gotten this for my love, I won't give up so easily!"

Rose glared. "I'm sorry, but you don't have time to be in love anymore. Because you will die in here."

The thug wasn't fazed in the least. "Why don't you try!?"

Lenus got far more than she bargained for. Seven Dragoons transformed en masse, backed up by Meru with her hammer, and Methos and myself with our swords. Opposing us was a woman with platinum hair…and wings of light. What in blazes is that!?

"Wingly," Rose breathed. "Be careful! She will harder than you think!"

"Got it!" Dart curled into a ball. "Final Burst!"

Methos batted one of Lenus's crescent blades aside with his sword. "That looked like it hurt."  
I nodded. "On this planet, most people have a connection to one of seven elements, though there are those who have none. If someone is hit with magic of the opposite element, the results can be devastating." I winced as a Dark Mist attack slammed into me. "Judging by her reaction, Lenus is water-based."

"Rose Storm!" Albert, giving us a defensive edge.

The battle went on for hours, draining our strength. I eventually lost track of everything but my own attacks and Shana's occasional healing spell. How much can this wacko take!? No matter what we do, she keeps coming back! Finally tiring of the game, I lunged forward, burying Ryu-Kokyuu to the hilt in the Wingly's chest.

Lenus gazed at me in shock. "How…dare…you……" Her eyes glazed over, and she fell to the floor in a heap. Dead.

I yanked my blade out and retrieved the Moon Dagger. "So much for that." I glanced at the King. "Your Majesty, I think it would be best if we hang onto the Moon Dagger for the time being. If Lloyd comes after it personally, and I think he will, then it will be safer with us."

Zior nodded. "Yes. Yes, you're right." With Lenus's death, his mind was rapidly returning to normal. "Is it true, what you said at that dinner? That you are immortal?"

I nodded. "The only way I can die is if someone chops off my head. I just wanted to rattle Lenus, but her reaction wasn't what I expected. She knew about us."

"Probably from this Lloyd," Methos said. "I heard he's the reason Kim Sun wound up in Serdio."

I shook my head. "Why am I not surprised…what the!?"

Meru, who had been crouched at Lenus's body, was on her feet, eyes wide. In front of her was a glowing blue gem. I'd seen it at Lenus's throat when I stabbed her, and wondered what it was. Could it be? Of course, it must be.

"Rose, is that what I think it is?" Lavitz asked.

Rose nodded. "It is indeed." She turned to Meru. "The Dragoon Spirit of the Blue Sea Dragon chose you as the next master."

Meru gazed in wonder at the Spirit, now resting in her hand. "Does this mean…I'm a Dragoon too!?"

"That's right," I said, chuckling a little. "You're the Dragoon of Water." I sobered. "I have to warn you, though: do _not_ transform when we catch up with Lloyd. He's got a sword called the Dragon Buster, and it'll go through even Dragoon Armor like paper."

The newest Dragoon's reaction took me by surprise. "How do you know about that!? How did he get it!?"

Something's up. "I know because I impaled myself on it," I replied. "How Lloyd got his hands on it, I don't know. The question is, how do _you_ know about it?"

Meru stammered. "Uh…forget I said anything."

"This is no time for your games, Meru," I said, taking a step forward and looming over her. She flinched. "If you know something, you need to tell us." Realizing that she was frightened, I gently laid a hand on her shoulder. "I'm sorry. I shouldn't have snapped, but this is important."

Meru looked at the floor. "…I'm a Wingly."

Even Rose was startled by that one…sort of. "That explains a lot." She smiled very slightly. "The Dragon Campaign ended long ago. You have nothing to fear from me."

"Nor me," Kongol added. "My goal is a world where all species are equal. There is no room for hatred of your race in such a world." 

I smiled. "See? If we can accept Kongol, who did his best to kill us on two separate occasions, then we can accept a Wingly who, in the short time she's been with us, has proven herself to be a loyal friend."

"Thanks, everybody."

By then, the king had regained his composure. "Legends have come to life around us. Dragoons, Winglies, a Giganto, and a Dragon."

Albert froze. "Dragon!? Where is this Dragon?"

"It appeared six months ago in Illisa Bay. Since then, the Prison Island has been effectively off limits." Zior looked at Dart. "But if the Dragoons were to intervene…"

"Zior is right," Rose said. "Only Dragoons stand a chance." She glanced at Meru, again with that slight smile. "We do not have to kill it, however. Meru, as the Blue Sea Dragoon, should be able to control it. Then we will have a Dragon on our side."

"It's settled, then." Zior smiled. "Commodore Puler will take you aboard the _Queen Fury_, the strongest warship we have. You can reach it from Donau."

"Thank you, Your Majesty," Dart said.

Ah, the sea. Beloved of poets, romantics, and warriors alike, the sea was enough to make even Rose mellow a little. After boarding at Donau, we had split up, looking for some peace before our next battle. I stood on the upper deck, gazing out at the water. Haschel sat nearby, meditating.

I sighed. We still didn't know why so many Immortals were showing up in Endiness, but Lloyd clearly had something to do with it. I strongly suspected it was he who introduced Kim Sun to Emperor Doel, leading to the Chinese Immortal's demise. Come to think of it, my run-in with bin Shakr in the Prairie may not have been the coincidence I took it to be.

I felt the Buzz just as the other Immortal spoke. "Penny for your thoughts, Belmont?"

I chuckled softly. "Just reflecting on my time here. Reflecting, and wondering what's next. You?"

Methos joined me at the railing. "I just had a long talk with Rose. She's quite a fascinating woman."

"She's also more than eleven thousand years old, Methos," I said, shifting to French in case we were overheard. "Rose has seen and done things few could ever understand. I don't get why she told you anything."

"Probably for the same reason she told you," Methos answered in the same language. "She knows I won't betray her."

I nodded slowly. "Dart's gonna find out eventually, though. And I can guarantee he will be very mad."

"Why is that?"

"Eighteen years ago, Rose flattened Dart's hometown of Neet, killing his parents in the process." I winced. "He's been out for revenge ever since. Even Rose doesn't blame him."

Methos shook his head. "Revenge just leaves you empty. I learned that long ago."

"Tell that to Dart. You'll get an earful." I snorted.

"Perhaps." The older man departed, leaving me to my thoughts.

He's a weird one. Since Mac unmasked him last year, he's been getting into all sorts of bizarre dilemmas. "Adam Pierson," indeed! I laughed. Methos must have had a field day, recruited into the Watchers and then given the task of finding himself. Spent ten years at it, too. And now he's with people who know exactly who and what he is, and he doesn't have a care in the world.

"Like the sea, do you?"

I turned. Haschel had abandoned his meditation and was watching me. "You might say that," I told him. "It's always had a calming influence on me."

Later, I would reflect on the irony of those words. Before either of us could say anything else, the ship heaved madly. Looking for the source of the disturbance, I caught sight of a large ship less than a hundred yards away. Being a sailing vessel, it would have looked more elegant than the _Queen Fury_, except the sails were in tatters. More ominous were the skeletons visible on the main deck.

"Is that some kind of ghost ship!?" I yelled. Before anyone could answer, the_ Queen Fury_ heaved again, and I was thrown off my feet. My had struck a mast, and everything went black. 

Author's note: Not much action here, but the next chapter should make up for it. D.S. 


	8. Chapter 8: Ghosts and Dragons

Same disclaimer again. 

"Ray? You alright?"

I looked up…and up…and up. "I think so. Better than when Lloyd impaled me, anyway."

The Giganto helped me to my feet. "You weren't the only one tossed overboard. We found Shana on the deck, surrounded by skeletons."

"Skeletons?" I shivered. "Just what we don't need. Is this some kind of ghost ship?"

"Precisely." Albert approached, his spear in one hand. "This is the _Saint Louvia_, a ship which was attacked by the Black Monster eighteen years ago."

"Why this ship?" I had the distinct feeling that I knew the answer. The Moon Child. It has to be.

"This ship was carrying Louvia, a Princess of Mille Seseau, Dart's homeland," Albert responded. "She was just an infant, and yet she was killed."

"Tragic." I knew better than to say what I knew of the Black Monster. Better one girl dead, than an entire world destroyed. I don't envy Rose one bit.

My evident lack of concern irritated everyone but Rose and Methos. Shana was by far the most irate. "Don't you even care what happened here!?" she demanded.

"Certainly. I simply don't think we should be concerned about it at present." Shana reddened. "Shana, listen to me. This happened almost two decades ago, and we have more immediate things to worry about. The Black Monster isn't due to show up again for another ninety years. I submit that Lloyd should be our primary concern."

Mollified, the Light Dragoon nodded. "You're right, sorry."

With our group reassembled, we proceeded to explore the ship, Dart and Shana up front, the Immortals and the monster in the rear, the rest strung in between. For once I was glad to be traveling as part of a group; I'd never been so creeped out. I'd rather have a dozen Immortal duels in a row than face off with the undead.

"Was this Louvia the Moon Child?" Methos whispered.

"Yes," Rose whispered back. "I didn't want to kill her, but I had no choice."

Without warning, a skeleton leaped at me from a corner. I spun and sliced it, only to be faced with two more. "Guys! We've got a problem!"

"No, really?" Lavitz impaled what looked like a legless Grim Reaper. "At least they're easy to kill."

"Define 'easy'," I retorted. A pair of small, flamelike creatures were evading my best efforts to slash them. "These things are almost impossible to hit."

"Diamond Dust!" I jumped back as Meru's spell succeeded where I'd failed. 

"Thanks, Meru. That was close."

And then, without warning, it was over. 

"What's the deal with this place anyway!?" I demanded of no one in particular. "First it rams our own ship, then we get to duke it out with the undead! This is crazy!" 

"They think we're the Black Monster," Dart said bitterly. "He kills people for no reason."

"Stop it!!"

We all looked at Rose in surprise; the only time she normally raised her voice was in battle. Of course. Since she's the Black Monster, she hates hearing it maligned. For eleven millennia, Rose has carried the weight of the world. It's a wonder she hasn't gone mad.

Rose quickly regained her composure. "Sorry. What was I thinking? Let's go." She looked Shana in the eye. "You want to know, don't you?"

We explored the rest of the ship without further trouble. With those weird spirits destroyed, the skeletons and other assorted remains stayed on the deck rather than molesting us. The whole thing was eerie, too much so for my taste. Something's not right here.

Suddenly, I felt it. Methos and I stopped dead. "Here we go again."

"You feel it, too, I take it?" Methos asked.

"Yep. This should be interesting." 

"Interesting" didn't begin to describe what we saw. Not one, but two Immortals stepped out of the shadows to confront us. One was tall, dark skinned, and bald; the other was somewhat shorter, with red hair and a pale complexion.

The taller one drew a scimitar and stood before me, about six feet away. "I am Ali Singh," he said. He jerked his head at his companion. "He is Hayden O'Malley. We are here for your heads." The flame-haired Irishman produced a saber from his coat.

I smirked and drew my katana, Methos following with his Ivanhoe broadsword. "It's a team sport, now, eh? Well, I'm Ray Belmont, and this is Methos. If you want our heads, you'll have to work for them." Not waiting for a response, I charged Singh, slashing in a figure-eight pattern that nicked both his arms.

The big African countered with a cut to my leg, which I was barely able to stop. "You fight well, for a neophyte," Singh said mockingly. "Who was your teacher?" 

I gritted my teeth. "Duncan MacLeod of the Clan MacLeod." I quickly deflected a slash aimed at my head.

"There can be only one!" Singh roared.

"You idiot," I said with contempt. "The Game, the Gathering, and the Prize are nothing more than excuses for our kind to keep slaughtering each other!" I batted his blade aside and pressed my own to his throat. "It's over, Ali." A single strike removed his head.

When the Quickening subsided, I saw Meru standing over me. "Are you okay?"

I carefully got to my feet. "I think so. Don't worry, that always happens after that sort of fight." I caught movement in the corner of my eye. "Looks like Methos is having fun with that Irish wacko."

"Aren't you going to help him!?" Meru asked in disbelief. 

I shook my head. "I can't. All Immortal duels are one-on-one. Besides," I said, just as Methos beheaded his opponent, "Methos doesn't need my help." I waited for the lightning to die down, then helped the other Immortal to his feet. "That was interesting."

"You have a gift for understatement, Belmont," Methos muttered. "How could they have found us?"

"Lloyd," Dart said flatly. "It has to be him." 

"Why would he go after Ray and Methos?" Lavitz wanted to know.

"Because he knows we're a threat," I said with a snort. "Lloyd obviously knows about Immortals, and he probably suspects that I survived the incident at Hellena Prison. The only reason he was able to impale me in the first place is because I was careless."

"We have more immediate problems," Rose said. "We have yet to check out the passenger quarters."

Before we could get to the passenger quarters, we had yet another problem to deal with, in the form of five ghost knights. I knew perfectly well that Methos and I had little to fear, but I wasn't so sure about the others. This is not going to be fun.

The commander glared at Rose. "You, Black Monster. How dare you come here, pursuing Princess Louvia."

"Wait a minute!" Dart protested. "We're not the Black Monster!"

"How dare you, monster, using human words to fool us," said the second.

"Unforgivable," a third snarled. "Even if it costs us our lives, we won't give you Princess Louvia!"

"Here we go again," I muttered. Ignoring the soldiers, I dove for the commander, getting in a quick slash and jumping back.

The knight was furious. "How dare you!" He swung his sword, clearly intending to behead me.

Shana had other ideas. "White Silver Dragon!" The Dragon summon took care of the knights, then healed a nasty gash Haschel had suffered. 

The Light Dragoon rushed the ghost leader. "There is no more Black Monster! Oh, please, suffer no more!"

The knight gazed at her. "You are…Thank God, you made it." He bowed and vanished.

"Am I imagining things, or did that ghost just mistake Shana for a princess?" Methos asked.

I shook my head. "This just gets crazier all the time. What's next?" I would soon be sorry I asked.

The next room held nothing but a chair and an empty cradle. I'd seen plenty of death and destruction, some of it by my own hand, by that point, but somehow none of it was as sad as that little room. Eighteen years ago, that cradle was the resting place for an infant princess, before her death at Rose's hand. Every 108 years, she's had to kill an infant. If this Soa the locals venerated did indeed exist, as seemed reasonably likely, he was clearly no god. Sending the destruction of the world in the form of a baby. There's nothing divine in that.

"Only a child, and yet she was killed," Albert said softly.

"Sad, but it was long ago," I responded. "There's nothing more for us here. Let's get back to the ship." I started for the door, and fell flat before I could reach it. "What on earth!?"

"The ship is sinking!" Dart shouted. "We need to get out of here now!"

We rushed back to the _Queen Fury_, hoping we could make it in time. We did…or rather, most of us did; Dart and Rose fell overboard and vanished. I heard Albert yelling for a life raft, but I could tell there was no point. The currents in the area were far too strong.

"Waste of time," Methos muttered, echoing my own thoughts. "They'll be long gone by the time Puler can get a raft out."

I sighed. "I hope they're alright. Shana's distraught."

"She would be." The other Immortal shook his head. "You know them better than I do, Belmont. What do you think are the chances of those two surviving?"

"Pretty good, actually." I shrugged. "Dart's a good swimmer, and I somehow doubt that Rose is going to let something like this get the better of her." I glanced at Shana. "Meru's sticking close to Shana. Probably a good thing."

"No argument there." Methos frowned. "Rose said she would never let it happen again. Do you know what she was talking about?"

I thought for a moment. "She was probably remembering the battle of Kadessa. Rose was the sole survivor; everyone else was killed, or, in Zieg's case, petrified." I stiffened abruptly. "Petrified…that must be why Dart and Zieg look so much alike!"

"What do you mean?"

"Since he was turned to stone, Zieg would have been preserved for millennia. Dart told me when we first met that his last name is Feld. I'll bet that just over twenty years ago, the petrification spell wore off, and Zieg was released."

The older man narrowed his eyes. "Just what are you suggesting?"

"That Dart is Zieg's son. It would explain how he obtained that Dragoon Spirit."

"And why they look so much alike, I see." Methos nodded. "I wonder if Rose considered that."

I shook my head. "Not likely. She's had too much on her mind."

"Hey, guys!" Lavitz yelled. "Get ready, we're almost at Fueno!"

"Got it!"

Fueno is best described as a typical port city: bustling, crowded, and loud. As Tiberoa's largest seaport, goods of just about every kind could be found there. It was billed, quite accurately, as the intersection of north and south. I saw things from places as far apart as Lohan and Deningrad, the capital of Mille Seseau.

Lavitz gazed around in amazement. "This place is incredible!"

"You've got that right," I said curtly. Despite my confident words to Methos, I was more than a little worried about Dart and Rose. I knew very little about the oceans of Endiness, but I did know they had sharks. Stop worrying, Ray, I told myself firmly. Dart and Rose would turn sharks into shark steak in seconds.

I wasn't listening.

"We should stop by the hotel first," Albert said. "We might hear some news."

The next hour was spent unpacking our supplies. Let's see, sharpening kit; extra clothes; bandages, handy, but irrelevant for Methos and me; medicine, same deal; food, good, starving to death isn't fun; canteens; bush knife; it's all here.

"Everyone, great news!" Meru charged in, ecstatic. "Dart and Rose are okay! They'll be here any minute!"

Just as she finished speaking, the Dragoons of Fire and Darkness walked in, Dart with a slight headache, and both looking rather waterlogged, but none the worse for wear. I felt a slight grin tugging at my face when I saw Rose. She's looking a bit calmer now.

"Dart!!!" Shana practically tackled him. "Oh, Dart!"

Dart smiled and hugger her. "I'm sorry I made you worry."

"It's alright, as long as you're here." Shana buried her face in Dart's chest.

Kongol smiled broadly. "Dart, Rose. Welcome back. I knew you'd make it."

"I agree." Lavitz clapped the younger man on the shoulder. "You two are too strong to die."

I stepped up. "Now that we've got the reunion scene out of the way, did you guys learn anything?"

Rose nodded. "There are rumors of a Sea Dragon on the Prison Island. Because of this, the way to the island has been blocked off."

"A Sea Dragon, eh. Does that sound familiar?" Haschel asked.

"Very." Rose sighed. "It is the Blue Sea Dragon, Regole. She looks more like an eel than a Dragon, but she is still very powerful." She glanced at Meru. "Fortunately, we have the Blue Sea Dragoon with us, so this shouldn't be too difficult. Are you ready, Meru?"

"You got it!" Meru grinned. "Let's go tame the Dragon!"

The trapped tide blocking the way to the Prison Island didn't bother us in the least. The Dragoons simply flew across, while Methos and I swam. The water was surprisingly chilly for being so far south, but it wasn't enough to slow me down.

"We're almost there," Meru said softly. "I can feel the Dragon somehow."

"It's your Dragoon Spirit," Rose told her. "It knows when your Dragon is near."

Regole was near, alright…and so was Lloyd. "Well, well, well, so this is why Lenus is late."

"She's not coming," I said coldly. "I killed her. You won't get the Moon Dagger now, traitor."

Lloyd raised an eyebrow. "'Traitor'? I never swore allegiance to Basil in the first place. King Albert merely hired me as an advisor."

"And you betrayed him," I shot back. "Do you have any idea how many innocents have died because of your actions?"

The other shrugged. "I have the calling to reform the world. I have no time to pay attention to little things."

I drew my sword. "So reforming the world justifies kidnapping, theft, and cold-blooded _murder_!?"

"Whatever is necessary." Lloyd smirked and turned away. "This is merely a setback. If you survive, pursue me in Mille Seseau." He vanished.

"Forget him, for now," Dart said tiredly. "We're about to gain a new ally."

Meru hesitantly approached Regole. "Uh, hi. I'm Meru, the new Blue Sea Dragoon." She reached out and gently stroked the Dragon's head. "I'll treat you better than Lenus did."

Rose watched, looking relieved. "For the first time in over a thousand years, a Dragon has a worthy master," she whispered.

"So you like our young Wingly, then?" Methos said teasingly.

She half-glared. "Meru can be annoying, but she's better than Lenus."

"Whatever you say." Methos chuckled to himself.

The return voyage was made without incident, though the crew was a little nervous over the presence of a Dragon. For myself, I was glad to be going, for we were leaving for Mille Seseau in the morning. When we got back, King Zior insisted on throwing a party for us, as the heroes who saved Tiberoa. Who'd have thought Immortals could travel openly in a place like this.

Kongol jogged my elbow. "Enjoying the party, Ray?"

I shook my head. "I don't like parties. Part of it is my own personality, and part is an Immortal's natural wariness. I never know when or where I'll be challenged."

"Just relax for once." The Giganto laughed and waved at a table. "Methos is enjoying himself."

"Methos drinks like a fish whenever he has the chance," I said with a snort. I chuckled. "I'll bet he pays for it, too. We Immortals are immune to many things; that immunity does not extend to hangovers."

Kongol laughed again. "Too bad."

I glanced at my watch. "I'd better get some sleep. We leave early tomorrow."

Author's note: This is why I had Lenus die in Fletz; I thought a Dragon would make a nice addition to the team. I skipped the scene in Lidiera because it always struck me as pointless. And yes, I do find the battle on the Phantom Ship that easy. Thanks for the reviews. D.S. 


	9. Chapter 9: Forest Rescue

The same disclaimer again.

We arrived in Furni, Mille Seseau's only major port, three days after Regole joined us. To my immense relief, those days passed without incident, except of course for Meru's endless pranks. (These at least kept Methos amused, go figure.) For myself, I concentrated on enjoying the voyage, as I knew full well it would be my last chance to relax for some time to come.

A lot has happened. I had no intention of broaching my idea about Dart's parentage with Rose. While she was not a particularly emotional person, learning that she had almost certainly killed her fiancée eighteen years earlier would be a major blow. Nor did I intend to tell Dart; that would have resulted in him asking unanswerable questions. 

I grinned at Methos. "Nice place, huh?"

He smiled. "Reminds me of Venice about two hundred years ago."

"As in before the canals got all polluted." I shook my head, chuckling ruefully. "Is there anything you haven't done in five thousand years?"  
The older man shrugged. "I haven't been to the moon, and I've never gone deep-sea diving. I did fight in both world wars, on the Allied side, naturally."

"Why am I not surprised." I gazed out at the sea for a moment. "What do you think of our little band? I've never seen you so open with mortals."

Methos shrugged again. "Dart is like a younger version of Mac: champion of justice, throws himself into danger, heedless of his own safety. If it weren't for those weird Dragoon powers I'd call Shana your basic damsel in distress, sweet but naïve. Haschel's a nice guy, if a little crazy. The big Giganto, Kongol, is amiable enough, but I wouldn't care to make him angry. Albert is the sort of person I could talk to for hours; he really knows his stuff."

I laughed. "There's an understatement. The King of Serdio will talk your ears off about virtually anything."

"Lavitz is a typical knight, chivalrous and loyal," Methos went on. "Meru's the comic relief."

I lifted an eyebrow. "And Rose?"

"Rose." The oldest Immortal shook his head. "I don't quite know what to make of her. I trust her, certainly, and she's good in a fight, but she has a dark core."

"Killing an infant every 108 years will do that to you."

"True-" Methos broke off. A second later, I felt it, too: the buzz of an Immortal.

"Ray! Methos!"

I grinned. "Richie! What are you doing here?"

The slightly younger man clapped me on the shoulder. "Checking things out." He caught sight of our companions. "Who're they?"

I laughed. "They're our friends. Everyone, this is Richie Ryan, Mac's only other student in the past century."

Richie shook hands all around, then abruptly froze. "What on earth is that!?"

Methos followed his gaze. "That, Richie, is Regole, our resident Dragon." He nodded to Meru. "Little Miss Sugar High here is her master."

"Hey!" Meru glared at him, then smiled at Richie. "Nice to meet you."

"Likewise." Richie glanced back at me. "You might want to be careful. Everything's gone crazy here."

Rose frowned. "What do you mean?"

"A kid named Teo ran off with a mutated wolf about three days ago." Richie winced. "The whole town's up in arms."

"Any idea where he went?" Dart asked.

"To the Evergreen Forest, due north. The mayor's offered a reward for his safe return. We're going to help look for him."

"Who's 'we'?" I asked, a sinking feeling coming over me.

Richie shrugged. "Mac, Amanda, and me. Is there a problem?"

I sighed. "Sort of. We ran into Amanda in Tiberoa, and I didn't exactly enjoy the experience."

"Oh, that." He laughed. "Amanda told me about it. Don't worry, this just a search-and-rescue. Find the kid and kill the wolf. Simple enough."

"You hope." I snorted and looked at Dart. "What do you think?"

"I think we should help find the boy," Dart said at once. "The Moon Dagger is safe, so we can afford a detour."

"It's settled, then." I think. "Let's find Mac and Amanda."

The thief and the Highlander were easily found. The Mayor, apparently grateful for their aid, put them up in his own home. When he learned who we were he was happy to do the same for us. "The heroes who saved Tiberoa from the bandits and the Dragon are always welcome here," he said.

"Just remember that the Dragon is on our side now," I replied.

"Of course." He nodded to a couch. "I believe you, at least, know my other guests."  
"No kidding." I grinned at Mac. "MacLeod to the rescue, eh?" 

"Sort of." The Highlander shrugged. "I can't leave a kid in danger, you know me." He chuckled. "And so do you, old man."

Methos shot him a mock-annoyed look. "At least I care about my own survival, Highlander. You have yet to show any sign of an instinct for self-preservation."

Mac laughed. "'Death before dishonor', remember?" He glanced at me. "Aren't you going to introduce me to your friends?"

I mentally kicked myself. "Right, of course." I gestured to each in turn. "Dart and Shana, from Seles in southern Serdio. Albert, King of Serdio, and Sir Lavitz Slambert, head of the First Knighthood. Haschel of Rouge, a martial arts master. Kongol the Giganto, from Tiberoa. Meru the Wingly, from a forest just north of here." Meru nodded. "You know Rose, of course. Guys, this is my teacher, Duncan MacLeod of the Clan MacLeod. Amanda you already know."

Dart grinned and shook Mac's hand. "So this is the famous Highlander. Ray's mentioned you. Several times."

Mac chuckled. "Has he, now."

"Don't read too much into that, Mac," I said. "I know you're not some kind of superhero, but I owe you a lot nonetheless. And yes, they know about Immortals. I managed to impale myself on a magic sword a couple of weeks ago."

"Amanda told me about it." He stretched. "It's been nice meeting you, but I'd better get some sleep. Tomorrow is going to be a rough day."

"'Night, Mac." Albert snickered. "What's so funny, Your Majesty?"

"Oh, nothing."

Amanda giggled. I shot a glare at her. "And what do _you_ find so funny, thief?"

She smiled sweetly. "I just think we'll be seeing a lot of each other over the next few days."

I groaned. "How very delightful. I do hope Mac will be along, too."

"Yep."

"Good. Maybe he can keep you under control." I shook my head wearily. "Of course, it's always possible that you can't be kept under control, which does not bode well. Just please remember that this is supposed to be a rescue mission, okay?"

"Oh, all right."

'All right,' she says. I sighed wearily. "Guys, maybe you should prepare for our next move. Richie and I have some catching up to do."

The two of us found a quiet corner. "You have the weirdest friends," Richie said.

I raised an eyebrow. "No weirder than waking up from the dead. And don't underestimate Meru just because of her happy-go-lucky personality. She has a hammer and she knows how to use it."

"I'll remember that." Richie glanced at Rose and shivered. "What's with her, anyway? I thought Connor was cold-blooded, but at least he smiles once in a while."

"She has a dark past, Richie. Don't ask for details, because I promised to keep them secret. Rose can be trusted, just leave it at that."

"Okay, sure thing." He grinned suddenly. "You try asking her out?"

I glared. "Do I look that stupid? She'd take my head if I pulled a stunt like that. Besides which, I'm not interested." I chuckled a little. "Lavitz tried something like that just after the Hero Competition in Lohan."

"What happened?"

"Rose decked him."

Richie laughed. "So the chivalrous knight gets smacked by the lady. Figures. What are you guys doing this far north, anyway?"

"We're chasing someone," I replied. "You know about the recently concluded civil war in Serdio, right?" Richie nodded. "The guy we're chasing manipulated the war from behind the scenes. Albert hired him as an advisor, but he was really working for the Imperial Sandora. This guy, name of Lloyd, had Shana kidnapped from Seles, torched the village, and stole a treasure called the Moon Gem from Albert. Oh, yeah, and he killed me." 

"Ouch. What's he look like?"

"He's tall, with platinum hair and blood-red eyes. He wears a sleeveless black and silver outfit and black gloves. He carries two swords, one normal, and the Dragon Buster, which looks like a flame."

The younger man frowned, then nodded. "I saw him a couple days ago, headed northwest."

"Northwest." I looked up. "Hey, Rose, is there anything significant northwest of here? Richie saw Lloyd heading that way."

Rose thought for a moment. "You mean aside from the capital, Deningrad?"

"Yeah."

"Then there is one place where he would have gone: the Mountain of the Mortal Dragon. Long ago, the ancient Winglies sealed the king of Dragons, the Divine Dragon, there."

Richie winced. "Divine Dragon? King of Dragons? That doesn't sound good."

"That is an understatement." The Dark Dragoon snorted. "The Divine Dragon was stronger than all seven elemental Dragons combined. Even Melbu Frahma himself was unable to defeat him, so the Winglies sealed him away."

I felt my blood run cold. "If Lloyd awakens the Divine Dragon."

"Then there will be a major catastrophe," Rose finished. "Even with the Dragon Buster, Lloyd is no match for the king of Dragons."

"If he's going to take it on anyway, Lloyd has miscalculated badly." I shook my head. "What does the most lethal Dragon of all time have to do with his 'utopia'? Is he insane on top of everything else?" I sighed. "That explains why there's no Void Dragoon."

"Dragoon?" Richie repeated. Apparently Amanda hadn't filled him in on everything.

"Dragon Knight," I explained. "Magical warriors who rule Dragons. The can, among other things, fly."

Richie gaped. "And your friends.they're the Dragoons?"

"Yep. Incredible, isn't it? You'll get to see for yourself tomorrow, when we take on that wolf."

He shook his head in disbelief. "I'd heard a little about some mega powerful warriors, but I thought it was just a rumor."

"No rumor, my friend." I yawned and stretched. "I don't know about you guys, but I'm tired. See you in the morning."

The next morning found us in the forest, just north of Furni. To no one's surprise, we had to fight yet more monsters during our search, ranging from giant squirrels to large, bearlike creatures. Fortunately, we were more than a match for such vermin.

Mac slashed what looked like a giant peacock in half. "Crazy place. I don't know how you stand it, Ray."

I shrugged, neatly carving up what I think was an animate tree. "I'm a glutton for punishment, I guess. Seriously, Mac, is it any worse than some of the Immortal duels you've gotten into over the years?"

"You got me there," he admitted.

"Teo! Get away from Kamuy!"

I started. "That came from up ahead."

We charged through the brush, ignoring the small fry. Soon enough, we came to a small cul-de-sac, almost running into a knight. Facing us was the ugliest dog I had ever seen. Kamuy's wolf origins were still discernable, but he had mutated almost beyond recognition.

"Stop!" the boy, Teo, shouted. "It wasn't Kamuy! It was a different monster!"

Further conversation was stopped by the appearance of an axe-wielding thug I remembered from the day before. "I'll take care of Kamuy! The reward is mine!"

He took a step forward, and was promptly knocked flying, thus proving once again that big talkers are almost always pathetic fighters.

I gripped the knight's arm. "Leave it to us. Teo will be safe."

The knight looked relieved. "Thank you."

Richie drew his rapier. "Is this where I get to see your pals in action?"

I grinned. "Exactly."

Eight Dragoons transformed simultaneously, startling even Mac. The next moments were filled with a litany of spells.

"Rose Storm!"

"Wing Blaster!"

"Thunder God Attack!"

"Star Children!"

"Diamond Dust"

"Meteor Strike!"

"Astral Drain!"

"Final Burst!"

My fellow Immortals (except Methos, of course) stared in amazement at the display. Nothing in all their centuries could have prepared them for what they witnessed that day. Mac later told me that the raw power reminded him of an erupting volcano.

Kamuy might have withstood the thug's attack, but this was too much. He fell, mortally wounded.

"Kamuy!!" Teo hurried to the animal's side, tears streaming down his cheeks.

Shana gazed at them, obviously torn. "I may be contradicting myself," she said at last, "but I can't just leave them like this." She focused on her Dragoon Spirit. "White Silver Dragon, please save Kamuy!"

In seconds, the mutation reversed itself. A normal wolf ran around Teo's legs, where a vicious monster had stood just moments before. Shana is truly the Dragoon of healing.

Teo smiled at Shana. "Thank you." He looked at the knight. "Can Kamuy come home now?"

The knight hesitated, then nodded. "He seems to be back to normal. Alright, if anything happens, I'll take responsibility."

I smiled. "We've got to get going. Say hi to your friends for us."

"Okay!"

When they were gone, I turned to Mac. "So, what do you think? Incredible, huh?"

"You've got that right." The Scot looked at the Dragoons. "They're quite an impressive team." He glanced back at me. "You folks heading for Deningrad?"

"That's the plan. Lloyd could show up at any time."

"We might as well travel together, then. We're going the same way."  
"Sound good?" I asked Dart.

"Fine by me."

"Then let's go." 

Author's note: Not much here, but it was intended primarily as a transition of sorts. It'll really start to pick up at the Mountain of the Mortal Dragon, though that area will have a couple of major changes, as will Vellweb. As regards the Immortals, Methos is of course around for the long haul, but I haven't decided about the other three yet. Sorry if this one's boring, but that particular sequence is boring anyway, so I was anxious to get it out of the way. D.S. 


	10. Chapter 10: Deningrad

Same disclaimer again.

"So you've been traveling with this bunch for how long?" Mac asked.

"Since about three days after I got here," I replied. "As you know, I met Rose just after I took my first head. I ran into Dart, Shana, and Lavitz in the Limestone Cave, just south of Bale. Then Rose joined us in Hoax, Haschel in Lohan, King Albert in Seles, just after I impaled myself, Meru in Donau, and Kongol in the Home of Giganto."

Mac shook his head. "You have the weirdest friends."

"Like I told Richie, coming back from the dead isn't exactly normal." I glanced around, inspecting our new surroundings. "Now this place, I like."

We'd arrived in Deningrad shortly after the encounter with Kamuy, minus Meru and Rose, who had left for reasons of their own: Meru to visit her parents, and Rose, being Rose, said only that she had an errand to run. As I told Mac, Deningrad was my kind of place. Having grown up in a relatively cold climate, I was able to tolerate Serdio, but Tiberoa was the next best thing to unbearable. 

The capital of Mille Seseau thus came as a profound relief. From what Dart had told me, the snow was more or less permanent in this part of the world, lending Deningrad a sort of fairy tale quality. Adding to that effect was the Crystal Palace, home of Queen Theresa and the Sacred Sisters. I just might settle down here when our journey is finished.

"Reminds me of Norway."

I glanced at Methos. "Why am I not surprised to hear that from you, old man?"

The other shrugged. "I've been around."

"Whatever." I sighed. "Dart, where to?"

"We'll try the church. Maybe we can learn something."

We arrived just in time to hear the tail end of a sermon. "To prevent the world's end, we must rid ourselves of evil and live honestly," a bishop was saying. "It is our mission as children of the Divine Tree."

"The Divine Tree?" Richie muttered in disbelief. "Is he nuts or what?"

"I'm inclined to agree with you," I said, just as quietly. "At the same time, I'd like to learn more."

Apparently, the bishop overheard my comment. "Welcome, visitors. I am Bishop Dille. I serve the Divine Tree."

"Is this it?" Dart asked, indicating a bas relief on the wall.

"This is an artist's conception," Dille said. "We do not know what the real tree looks like, of course. No one has ever seen it. Do you wish to learn more?"

"Yes, please," Dart replied.

"Very well." The bishop began speaking in a voice I remembered from fire-and-brimstone preachers back home. "The Divine Tree, the Tree of Life. All life comes from this Divine Tree. In the beginning, nothingness filled the world. Then the creator Soa sowed a seed on the earth. The seed soon grew, and became a great tree. The tree bore 108 fruits, and thus 108 forms of life were created. The tree completed its work, but the legend says that it is still there, protected by the Signet of Soa."

"And I thought I wouldn't hear anything dumber than the Tiberoans' star worship," Amanda said under her breath. 

Dille ignored her. "If you wish to know more, visit the library."

Albert was immediately excited. "The Mille Seseau national library!? I wonder if I can see it and remain calm." He pretended to consider. "No, I cannot!"

"Albert?" Dart sounded a little querulous.

"Is he always like that?" Mac asked.

"I'm afraid so," I responded ruefully. "Please, don't encourage him."

"I'll remember that."

Though I would never have admitted it, especially to Albert, I too was excited about the library. I have long had a craving for knowledge, though not to the same extent as my friend the King. The thought of having access to the most extensive library in Endiness was enticing, to say the least.

Getting in was simple enough, once we persuaded the rather snobbish librarian to unlock it for us. Once inside, I ignored everyone else and concentrated on my reading. It was, to put it mildly, fascinating. The first thing I came across was an in-depth history of the Dragon Campaign, missing only the identities of the Dragoons (not that that mattered to me, of course).

This is incredible! I thought, thoroughly absorbed. Stories of Diaz, descriptions of the capital Vellweb, a sketchy bio of Melbu Frahma, and if that's not a picture of Feyrbrand I'll break my staff. How do they get this stuff?

"Enjoying yourself, Belmont?"

I jumped. "Methos! Don't sneak up on me like that! Anyway, 'enjoying' is far too mild a word. This is like nothing I've seen before. See this?" I showed him the Dragon picture. "That, Methos, is a remarkably accurate rendition of Feyrbrand."

"Very pretty." The old man waved at the door. "We need to get going. Dart wants to be ready when Rose and Meru return."

"Got it."

We didn't need to find Rose, she found us, and she brought some friends, five of them to be exact. The girls in front were clearly two of the Sacred Sisters, their three companions obvious knights. How would Rose have met up with this bunch?

"Rose, who are they?" Dart asked.

"These are Luanna and Setie. I met them in Neet," Rose said.

I raised my eyebrows. "Neet? And you came back with them?"

Rose shrugged. "I just happened to be there."

Luanna turned her blind gaze to Dart. "Excuse me, but you seem to have had some changes in your body recently."

Dart nodded. "Why don't we go to the inn. We'll talk there."

Once everyone was settled, I spoke to Luanna. "Setie tells us you can see people's souls?"

She nodded. "Correct. Yours is very unusual, even more than your friends'.

I sighed. "I'd hoped to avoid revealing this here so soon, but it's no use. I ask, though, that you tell no one except the Queen of this."

"Of course."

"Thanks." I took a deep breath. "I am immortal. I cannot die, unless you take my head. Same for them," I added, waving at my fellow Immortals. "What you sensed is called the Quickening, which gives us strength."

The Second Sacred Sister was not easily rattled, but this was an obvious shock. "I have never heard of such people, but I sense no falsehood. This is amazing."

"The reason you've never heard of us is that we're from another world," Methos put in. "And even there, we tend to keep a low profile."

"Understandable."

Dart abruptly keeled over. "W-What is this!?" At the same time, the whole area started shaking.

"Something that has influence over you has awakened!" Luanna said. "You may be able to learn of it now!"

I dashed outside, the others close on my heels. Overflying Deningrad was the largest monster I had ever seen, so large that it dwarfed both Virages we'd fought. The thing was hideous, with a long neck, seven wings, seven eyes, a gaping mouth, and what looked suspiciously like a cannon on its back. In the corner of my eye, I saw Regole tense up. This is not good. Anything that can make a Dragon nervous is very nasty indeed.

"What is that!?" Setie gasped.

Rose looked even grimmer than usual. "'One who glares through seven diabolical eyes, and crosses the sky on seven wings.' It's the king of Dragons, the Divine Dragon."

"The Divine Dragon!?" Meru had rejoined us without my noticing.

"Then it is true, that the ancient Winglies sealed him away in the Mountain of the Mortal Dragon long ago," Luanna breathed.

"We'll have to deal with him," Dart said grimly.

Luanna turned to him, blind eyes wide. "How can you do this?"

He squared his shoulders. "We are the Dragoons. We are the Dragon Knights who have the power to rule Dragons." Dart nodded at Regole. "That's Meru's Dragon."

The Sacred Sister gasped. "Please, see Queen Theresa! If you are truly the Dragoons, then surely you can stop him!"

"This should be interesting," I muttered as we entered the Palace. In contrast to the clamor outside, the Crystal Palace was relatively peaceful, even in the face of a Dragon's assault. Either they always act like this, or they have no idea what they're up against.

"So what was it!?"

The voice belonged to a blond woman, early twenties, dressed in red and white. I quickly identified her as the First Sacred Sister, Miranda. My first thought was that the blue-eyed archer was attractive, my second was that she was a more outspoken version of Rose. Cold-blooded Darkness and abrasive Light. She'll be trouble.

"It was larger than a horse and too fast for us to follow!" the unlucky knight replied. "It is impossible for such a creature to exist!" 

"How can you be so sure of that!?" Miranda demanded.

"It is impossible for such a creature to exist!" the knight repeated.

Miranda slapped him across the face. "You idiot! Are you going to risk your men's lives on a mere assumption!? You are dismissed, Commander!"

"Yes, Ma'am!" The knight braced to attention and made good his escape.

Queen Theresa spotted us about then. "Please, Miranda. You are in front of guests."

The Sacred Sister noticed us for the first time. "Who are you?"

Dart ignored her. "Your Majesty, we are here to fight the Divine Dragon."

Miranda snorted derisively. "How are you going to do that!?"

In answer, Dart held out his Dragoon Spirit. "We are the Dragon Knights who rule Dragons, the Dragoons. There is no one but us who can stand up to him."

"Are you saying that you are the Dragoons of legend!?" Miranda asked in disbelief.

Annoyed with her attitude, I took a step forward. "That's exactly what he's saying, Sister Miranda. And the five of us," I waved at my fellow Immortals, "have another advantage."

She snorted derisively. "What kind of advantages?"

Even more annoyed, I slashed my arm, then held it out so she could watch it heal. "We are Immortals," I said in a voice of frozen helium, "people who can only die by beheading." With the Sacred Sister cowed for the moment, I turned to the Queen. "Your Majesty, we came here pursuing a man, but the Divine Dragon is a more pressing problem. We will gladly help."

"The ancient Winglies made two objects to fight Dragons," Rose said. "One was a sword to kill Dragons, the Dragon Buster."

"Don't I know it," I said ruefully. "I was impaled with it."

"Lloyd has that however," Rose went on, "so we must rely on the Dragon Block Staff." She turned to our resident Wingly. "Do you know where it is, Meru?"

Meru hesitated, then nodded. "We keep it in my home forest. I'll take you there."

"Very well." Miranda went to one knee before the Queen. "Your Majesty, I am heading to the Forest of the Winglies with these people."

Dart frowned. "You're coming, too?"

Miranda looked at him as if he was dense. "Of course. I can't let you handle it alone."

Oh, boy. This is not a good thing. This wacko is guaranteed to irritate Rose, and there's no telling how the others will react. Our journey just got a lot more interesting.

We were about halfway out of the castle when Dart stopped. "Where's Shana?"

I frowned. "Did she get left behind?"

"We'd better find her," Miranda grumbled. "We don't have time for this."

We found Shana in a chamber just off the throne room. The chamber had a disturbing atmosphere, different from the rest of the palace, unpleasantly so. Judging by Meru's reaction, the place was charged with Wingly magic.

Dart gripped Shana's shoulder. "Why did you come here?"

Shana looked blearily around. "I don't know. I woke up and found myself here."

"Miranda, what is this place?" Albert asked.

She frowned. "I don't know exactly. It's connected to the Winglies, somehow."

Shana moaned. "It's burning…I can't feel…the Dragon's power…" There was a brilliant flash, and the Dragoon Spirit of the White Silver Dragon landed gently in Miranda's palm. Shana, meanwhile, dropped in a dead faint.

Dart stared in disbelief. "You are a Dragoon too!?"

"Ah, the plot thickens," I muttered. "We need to get her out of here."

Shana awoke about an hour later. "Are you alright?" Dart asked anxiously.

She nodded. "But…I don't think I can go with you anymore."

I laid a hand on her shoulder. "Don't worry, Shana. We'll be back."

"Get some rest," Kongol advised. "I should do some good."

Shana looked at the newest Dragoon. "Miranda, please take care of the rest."

"I know."

While the others went on ahead, I pulled Miranda aside. "Before we leave, I need to make sure you understand some things. First, if one of us Immortals gets into a duel,_ stay out of it_. Such battles are strictly one-on-one. Clear?"

She nodded. "Fine."  
"Secondly, try to tone down your smart remarks. You may not realize it, but being a Dragoon carries with it very special obligations."

"Don't lecture me," Miranda snapped. "I know my duty."

"Last, don't knock Rose around. She knows more than you can imagine, and she seldom takes kindly to that."

"Fine, whatever." Miranda stalked off, forcing me to hurry to catch up.

"Why," I asked no one in particular, "do I have the feeling that she's going to plague me for a long time to come?" 

Author's note: Not exactly action-packed, but I decided I could use a bit more detail. MacLeod and company are going to be along at least long enough to deal with the Divine Dragon. As regards Richie's death, this is indeed set prior to that, but I intend to disregard it in any event. I have not seen the episode in question and have no desire to; sad endings always irritate me. Please read and review as usual. D.S. 


	11. Chapter 11: Kadessa

Same disclaimer.

"Plague" proved to be all too accurate. Right from the get go, Miranda got on almost everyone's nerves. Dart appeared unaffected, and Rose made a show of ignoring her, but Lavitz…I'd never seen him so close to murderous. For my part, I managed to stay clear of her.

Mac tapped me on the shoulder. "Ray, can I talk to you for a moment?"

"Sure."

We slowed our pace slightly, allowing the others to move ahead. "Ray, you've been a little too free with information. Specifically, our weakness," Mac said.

I cursed inwardly. How could I be so stupid? "You're right, Mac. I've been an idiot."

"How many people here know our true nature?"

I thought briefly. "Outside of our group, nine. King Zior of Tiberoa, his daughters Emille and Lisa, Fester the astronomer, Queen Theresa and the remaining Sacred Sisters, and, of course, Lloyd. Of that group, only Lloyd has both the motivation and the ability to take advantage of that. The others at least know how to keep their mouths shut, so we should be safe."

"I hope so." The Highlander shook his head. "Lloyd. How does he know about us? What in blazes does he want?"

"Back in Tiberoa, he said something about reforming the world. As for how he'd know about us, your guess is as good as mine." As we resumed our trek, I caught sight of Miranda haranguing Rose about something or other. "There's an explosion waiting to happen."

"No kidding," Richie said as we caught up. "That Sacred Sister doesn't seem very sacred."

Richie, as usual, was being flippant, but that didn't invalidate what he'd just said. "Rose, Miranda, would you please_ knock it of_? We've got more important things to do than verbally destroy each other."

The reminder had its intended effect; Rose lapsed into silence, while Miranda spared me one glare and turned away.

"Sheesh," I muttered. "And she's the White Silver Dragoon. Why couldn't the Spirit have stayed with Shana? Everybody likes her."

"If you don't like me, why'd you let me come along?"

I gritted my teeth. "We didn't 'let' you come along, Miranda, you insisted on it. And since you are the Dragoon of the White Silver Dragon, there's no help for it." I pulled my staff and smashed a giant rat out of my way. "Though how you wound up with that Dragoon Spirit is beyond me. You're not exactly the most congenial person I've ever met."

"This from a guy who beheads people for a living?" she sneered.

That almost prompted me to put my katana to her throat. Careful, Belmont. "Miranda, if I thought you had the slightest idea what you were talking about, I'd slap you. If some maniac challenges me, I _have_ to take his head, or he will take mine. I don't like it, but I have no choice. Now buzz off."

Miranda glared a moment longer, then complied. I rubbed my temples wearily, trying to stave off a headache. This is going to be a long trip.

Meru guided us to what appeared, at first, to be a dead end. "This is where the Winglies shut themselves in after the Dragon Campaign."

"A magical barrier?" Rose guessed.

The other nodded. "They wanted to keep away from humans." She looked at the ground. "Maybe I'll get kicked out again."

"Kicked out?" Lavitz repeated carefully.

"Uh-huh. We're not supposed to leave the forest. If we do, we can't come back." Meru raised her head defiantly. "But we can't do that anymore. We have to work together, or we'll all die." Her wings appeared, and the barrier faded. "Let's go."

I stepped through, and immediately had to jump back to dodge a fireball. "What was that!?"

Meru waved her hands. "Stop! It's me!"

Our assailants, three Winglies, stared in disbelief. "Meru! How dare you bring humans here! And a Dragon too!"

"That's my Dragon, and the humans are my friends!" Meru yelled. "We have to see the Ancestor!"

One Wingly flew off, while the other two landed. "Why are you here?"

Dart stepped forward. "The king of Dragons, the Divine Dragon, has awakened. We need to borrow the Dragon Block Staff in order to defeat it."

The third Wingly returned. "The Ancestor says he will meet with the humans!"

His companions relaxed. "All right." One glanced back at us. "Please try not to stir people up. Few of us have ever seen a human, and many hate you. Also, watch out for the Bardel brothers."

"Who are the Bardel brothers, and why do they hate us?" I asked Meru as she led us deeper into the forest.

"The Bardels hate you because of their sister," she replied in subdued tones. "She left the forest, and a human killed her."

"So they hate all humans because of that," I said. "Wonderful."

I found out just how deep-seated this hatred was just after meeting Meru's parents. We took a warp plate up to a sort of hospital room, and were immediately confronted by the elder of the Bardel brothers. He looks like trouble.

"Bardel! What do you want!?" Meru exclaimed.

The other Wingly glared at her. "I'm here to take revenge for my sister!" he snarled.

Dart held up a hand. "Wait. We didn't come to fight. We're here to borrow the Dragon Block Staff."

"We don't need human help!" Bardel snapped. "We're stronger than you will ever be!"

Rose snorted derisively. "Stronger? Haven't you noticed that your power is deteriorating even as you cling to a vanished world?" She waved a hand. "You can barely fly and that's about it, right?"

Enraged, Bardel began charging a fireball. "We'll beat the Dragon ourselves!" He let fly at Dart, and the whole room seemed to explode. When the light faded, Dart was standing there in Dragoon form, having effortlessly deflected the attack. The Wingly fell to his knees. "It can't be! Is this the legendary Dragoon!?"

Rose spared him a disdainful glance. "The ones who flaunt their power disappear when the truly powerful appear."

I followed her out, shaking my head. I hope the Ancestor isn't this hostile.

The Ancestor greeted us in his chamber. "Welcome, humans and Giganto. I am Blano, the Ancestor of the Forest."

Miranda went to one knee. "I am the First Sacred Sister, Miranda. I have come for aid."

Blano nodded. "I understand. The Divine Dragon has awakened. Only by working together can we survive."

"Then you will let us borrow the Dragon Block Staff?" Miranda asked.

"We no longer have the Dragon Buster, so we must use the staff," he replied. "It is in the Forbidden Land, once the royal capital Kadessa. I will send you there."

I hesitated, then spoke. "Sir, Meru has told us about your law regarding access to the Forest. I believe she is right." 

Blano frowned. "What do you mean?"

"It is time for the separation to end." I swung one arm. "Humans, Gigantos, Winglies, it doesn't matter. We are all people. We have different abilities, but that doesn't matter, either. And, if I may anticipate your next argument, the Dragon Campaign was over long ago, and the Dragon is no longer the ally of humans alone." I nodded to Meru. "Meru is the Dragoon of the Blue Sea Dragon, the Dragoon of Water. That, incidentally, is why we brought a Dragon of our own."

"Perhaps you are right." He led us to a large teleporter. "This will take you to Kadessa. Good luck."

I felt something very strange the instant we arrived. Kadessa, though a ruin, still held a shadow of its ancient majesty. That, however, was not what drew my attention. It's as though despair has penetrated the very walls. Makes sense; the final battle of the Dragon Campaign was fought here. I glanced at Rose. This place contains powerful memories for her. I think we'll both be very glad to leave.

Apparently, I wasn't the only one who felt ill at ease there; Meru was visibly nervous.

Dart noticed, too. "What's wrong, Meru?"

The Wingly shivered. "I hear the cries of those who died here during the Dragon Campaign."

I snapped my fingers. "So that's it."

Meru looked at me in surprise. "You feel it, too?"

"We Immortals are all psychic to a certain extant," Methos explained. "That's how we can sense each other. Some of us are immensely powerful in that regard."

"Like Roland Kantos," Mac muttered, so softly that only I could hear him.

"We don't have time for this," Miranda snapped. "We have to find that staff."

"For once I agree with you," I said. "Let's go."

Kadessa may once have been a splendid capital, but by the time we got there it sure wasn't a vacation spot. The whole place was crumbling, though the warp plates were still working for some odd reason. Aside from that, of course, there were monsters galore. 

Our next stop was in what looked suspiciously like a coliseum. Wide central area, tiered seating, add those weird warp plates, yes, I do believe what we have here is a Wingly fighting arena. Probably used for Romanesque gladiatorial games. Ugh.

Meru confirmed it. "This place was used for fights between subject races. Humans, Dragons, and some Gigantos, they would fight to the death for the amusement of the ruling Winglies." She crouched and shivered. "I am the offspring of that kind of Wingly."

"Key word is 'offspring', Meru my friend," I said. "You're no more responsible for this than Albert is for Emperor Doel's lunacy."

"Belmont's right," Methos added. "You are responsible for your own actions, not those of someone who died thousands of years ago."

"Thanks."

Three hours, ten warp plates, and an indeterminate number of monsters later, we came to what appeared at first to be a dead end. The path was blocked by a huge shape, one that, while its appearance was unfamiliar, nevertheless reminded me of something we'd faced before. I have a bad feeling about this.

Dart stared at it, then shrugged. "I guess we'll have to go back."

"Wait!" Rose said. "This is a Virage!"

"What is a Virage?" Mac asked.

"A monster used by the Winglies during the Dragon Campaign," Albert explained. "We've fought two already. They are _extremely_ dangerous."

As if the King's words were a command, the Virage began to move. "Not _again_," Lavitz moaned, drawing his spear. "I am so tired of Virages."

"Join the club," I said acidly, readying my own weapon. "This will not be fun."

"Be careful," Rose warned as we moved to attack. "This is a Super Virage. They are far more powerful than normal ones."

"Just what I didn't need to hear," Methos muttered.

The ensuing battle was our nastiest up to that point. Rose had understated the Super Virage's power; it was all we could do just to keep up. Handicapped as we were by our inability to fly, we Immortals concentrated on distracting it. That, plus Albert's Rose Storm and Miranda's healing magic was all that kept the Dragoons from being annihilated.

Even then, it was a close call: right before it died, the Super Virage unleashed a HUGE blast of energy, hitting everyone at once, Amanda fatally.

Mac cursed in Gaelic. "That was fun."

"Get used to it," I advised him. "This bunch seems to attract big ugly monsters."

Once Amanda revived, it didn't take long to reach the Dragon Block Staff. What is it with Virages? First Volcano Villude, then the Valley of Corrupted Gravity, and now this. Is it because of Shana, or Dragoons, or humans, or what?

The Staff itself proved to be rather unremarkable. "_This_ can subdue the Divine Dragon?" Miranda snorted, her voice dripping disdain.

Rose glanced at her. "You can't tell an object's magic power by its size."

"And you would know, wouldn't you?" The Sacred Sister retorted.

I kept a firm hold on my temper. "Miranda, _shut up_. I told you before, we don't have time for this. Or would you rather have the Divine Dragon finish what it started?" I added coldly. What is wrong with her!?

Meru sprouted her wings. "I'll get the Staff."

She should have said "try to get". Meru grabbed the Staff, all right, but in doing so awakened a powerful guardian. Even uglier than the Super Virage, the Grand Jewel was in some respects even more dangerous. Specifically, it used the Dragon Block Staff on us, rendering the Dragoons almost useless.

"No one transform!" Dart snapped. "Hit it with everything you've got!"

The next hour was a blur. Some images still stand out: Kongol's massive axe; Richie's characteristic thrust-and-parry style; Dart, slashing with grim determination; Meru sending an occasional blast of Wingly magic; Miranda pelting it fro afar.

After a long and arduous battle, the Grand Jewel fell, chopped in half by a strike from Kongol. He picked up the Staff. "We have what we came for. Let's get out of here."

Just before we reached the exit, we got the scare of our lives: the Divine Dragon passed low overhead, so low that I had to duck to avoid being nailed. "What's he doing here!?"

Miranda's eyes widened. "He was flying towards…oh no! Deningrad!"

We met Blano as soon as we returned to the forest. "Ancestor Blano," Dart said. "The Divine Dragon-"

"I know," Blano interrupted. "I'm teleporting you to Deningrad!"

At first there wasn't enough power, but then Meru's parents and her fiancé showed up to help. We were on our way soon enough. I just hoped we were in time. Shana, please be safe.

Author's note: Another fairly dull section out of the way. Next up is the encounter with the Divine Dragon, where, as I said, there will be some major changes. I might be mistaken about Richie's fighting style, but this one fits better regardless; a rapier just isn't made for wide slashes. As a side note, Ray and Miranda are not going to hate each other's guts for the whole trip, I just thought it would be an interesting way to start. D.S.


	12. Chapter 12: The Last Dragon

I own none of this.

***

Unfortunately, we returned too late to do much good. By the time we reached Deningrad, the Divine Dragon had come and gone, leaving behind dead bodies and shattered wreckage. Most of the homes had been destroyed, and even the Crystal Palace itself was badly damaged. 

Miranda stared at the carnage, dismayed. "Oh no! Queen Theresa!" When we hesitated, she glared at us. "What are you waiting for!? Shana is in the palace!" She sprinted away, Dart and Haschel close on her heels.

Mac and I followed at a more sedate pace. "Man, what a mess," I said. "And all because Lloyd had to pick a fight with the Divine Dragon."

The Highlander shook his head, his face dark with memories. "This reminds me of London during the Blitz. Crumbling buildings, dead bodies everywhere."

I quickened my step. "Why is it everywhere we go, things start coming apart at the seams?"

"Just lucky, I guess." Mac glanced at me, concerned. "You alright?"

I sighed. "I'm sick of death. The monsters I don't care about, but I've killed four Immortals since I got here, to say nothing of the innumerable soldiers, bandits, and outright wackos I've taken on. I've watched people die and been helpless to stop it."

"Get used to it, Belmont," Methos said. "It's going to keep happening for a very long time."

"I know…it's just…"

The older man nodded in understanding. "I know. I don't like it, either. Why do you think I spent two centuries away from the Game? I was tired of the killing."

By this time we had reached the Palace. The inside wasn't quite as bad as I had assumed, oddly enough. I'd have thought this place would be destroyed. It's badly damaged, yes, but not enough to account for the Dragon's attack. Here and there we saw an injured knight, but everyone appeared safe.

"Why is this place still standing?" Richie asked, clearly perplexed.

"Your guess is as good as mine, Rich," I replied. I'll just bet this has something to do with Shana.

I got to the throne room just in time to see Shana slump to the floor. "What in blazes happened!?"

"Shana was somehow protecting the Queen," Dart said, astonished.

Miranda fell to her knees; I was startled to see tears streaming down her cheeks. "Your Majesty…you're safe."

Theresa smiled. "You can't call Setie a crybaby now, Miranda."

"I know…just let me cry this once."

Maybe I was wrong about her. "Your Majesty, we have the Dragon Block Staff. We are ready to confront the Divine Dragon."

"Good luck."

The others having already left, I turned on my heel. "Coming, Miranda?"

The Sacred Sister got to her feet. "Right."

***

We stopped by the hotel first, making sure Shana was alright.

"How do you feel?" Dart asked. 

"I'll…I'll be alright." Shana seemed uncertain.

"Shana." To my surprise, Methos laid a hand on her shoulder. "You'll be fine. You're stronger than you think."

"Thank you."

While that was going on, I had to defuse another Rose-Miranda spat. "Both of you, stop. Miranda, Rose may seem cold-blooded, but that doesn't make her heartless. And Rose, Miranda just watched her home get smashed, so maybe you should cut her a little slack." I glanced briefly at Dart. "I'll meet you guys at the city exit."

"Right."

***

I breathed deeply, enjoying the crisp mountain air. Despite the inevitable monster population, the Mountain of the Mortal Dragon was a very pleasant place, at least for me. I couldn't much tell about the others, save perhaps Meru, who was less than pleased. 

"Can I ask you something?"

I raised an eyebrow. "What's on your mind, Miranda?"

"Why'd you stand up for me?" For once, the Light Dragoon showed none of her usual sarcasm. "I figured you'd want Rose to slap me down."

"That was before I saw you break down in front of the Queen." I chopped a small dragon in half. "I admit I find your attitude annoying at times, but you obviously care for your Queen, your sisters, and your country. I can't help but admire that."

Miranda was silent for a moment. "What's it like, being an Immortal?"

"Exhilarating and frightening at the same time." I sheathed my weapon. "All of a sudden, you don't have to worry about sickness or death, and believe me, those are big issues. Plus, all your injuries heal at an incredible rate."

She nodded. "I remember you showing me at the Crystal Palace. So where does the 'frightening' part come in?"

I shrugged. "I misspoke slightly. 'Paranoia inducing' would probably be better. Supposedly, we have to fight until there's only one left. I personally think that's ridiculous; there are more of us joining the 'Game' all the time. Anyway, some Immortals go around headhunting, which means I have to be constantly on my guard."

"What about your friends?"

I chuckled. "Methos hasn't had a serious fight in two hundred years, Mac only fights when challenged, Amanda's just a thief, and Richie, well, as long as you don't make him mad, you're safe."

Miranda chuckled too. "Yeah, looking at him, you'd never know he's a master swordsman. How old is he?"

"Twenty, making him the youngest of us by about four years. I'm twenty-four, Mac's just over four hundred, Amanda, call it eleven hundred, and Methos, five _thousand_. At least."

The Sacred Sister gaped. "At least!?"

I laughed at her expression. "Even he doesn't know exactly. He says he took his first head about five thousand years ago; everything before that is a blur. I _think_ he's from a region once known as the Fertile Crescent, but I can't be sure." I shook my head. "But I've digressed. The point I want to make is, I was wrong about you. I'd like to start over with a clean slate." I held out my hand.

She took it, smiling. "Deal."

We had no further trouble until about three-quarters of the way up the mountain. One moment all was calm, the next a blast from the Divine Cannon flashed across the sky. For one instant, night became day on the mountain, casting all of us in an unearthly glow. 

Rose looked grim. "He is releasing his anger against the world."

"Does that mean the battle has already begun?" Dart asked.

"Looks that way," Richie said.

We pounded the rest of the way up, not knowing who or what we'd face. Skidding to a stop near the peak, I quickly gave my companions a once-over. Dart clutched his sword in both hands, determined to see this through. Albert and Lavitz stood shoulder-to-shoulder, spears ready. Rose's expression would have been unreadable for most, but I knew her well enough to recognize the tension on her face. Kongol was even more enigmatic than usual, but there was nothing ambiguous about the way he held his axe. Meru, visibly nervous, stuck close to Regole's flank. Haschel stood in a balanced fighting stance, experienced and confident. Miranda jumped for a high point, giving her arrows more range. Mac and Amanda stood close together, waiting. Richie swung his rapier from side to side, staring at the Divine Dragon through narrowed eyes. Methos stood a little apart, face expressionless. For my part, I stayed near Dart, my katana held in a high guard position.

Lavitz spotted the Divine Dragon's opponent. "Why am I not surprised." It was Lloyd.

The mysterious swordsman jumped back, breathing hard. "It is sooner than I expected. Even with the Dragon Buster, he gave me a hard time. But he is almost dead, so there is no need for you to join in."

"So, you're the one who started all this," I said coldly.

"You released the strongest Dragon on the world, but you can't control it! That's right, isn't it!?" Albert snarled.

"Forget about him!" Miranda snapped. "We can kill him anytime!"

Lloyd glanced at her. "So, the Sacred Sister is the replacement for that girl. How convenient for us."

Dart, ignoring him, threw the Dragon Block Staff into the air, where it shattered. "We have a chance, now! Everyone attack!"

What followed was a truly climactic battle. Dart and company didn't dare use their Dragoon powers, so the fight took far longer than it would have otherwise. Regole, though weakened, was a major asset, keeping the Divine Dragon occupied with her tidal wave attack. Add in the presence of Immortals, and you had a recipe for pure, unadulterated chaos.

Cutting loose with a war cry, I charged the Dragon directly, slashing twice and then plunging my blade deep into its flesh. Richie was barely a step behind, stabbing through four of the Dragon's seven eyes and partially blinding it. An arrow appeared in a fifth eye, courtesy of Miranda.

The Divine Dragon roared with pain and fury, then blasted Richie in the chest with its cannon, killing him instantly. Then it roared again as Duncan MacLeod removed two of its legs with one sweep of his katana.

Staring in amazement, I had to leap straight up to avoid another of Regole's tidal waves. The Dragon wasn't so lucky; the wave completely destroyed its cannon. I came down swinging, deeply gashing the Divine Ball. How much can this thing take!? We've been fighting for hours and it still won't die! I hacked again and again. "Die, you freak!!"

The end came without any warning. Lloyd, apparently recovered, jumped in and stabbed the Dragon Buster deep into the Divine Dragon's largest eye. There was a brilliant flash, and my vision went white. So Lloyd saves the day. How ironic.

What followed was quite possibly the most surreal event of my life. Though my eyes were dazzled, I could still hear just fine. _*Immortal, the Dragoon Spirit of the Divine Dragon wishes thee to become its master. Dost thou accept?*_

I frowned. The voice seemed to be coming from inside my own head. Yes.

_*Then, Immortal, receive the power of the Divine Dragon.*_

I gasped. The sensation was like nothing I'd ever felt before. It was as though I was at the center of a storm. Armor began covering me from head to toe, leaving only my face exposed. Wings sprouted from my back, and the power, the sheer, incredible _power_. It surpassed even the Quickening.

My vision cleared, at least in my right eye; my left was covered by a jeweled band. "Wha…what just happened?"

Rose, normally expressionless, stared in awe. "The Dragoon of the Divine Dragon," she breathed.

Methos, as usual, barely reacted. "Not bad, Belmont. Leaves something to be desired from an esthetic standpoint, but not bad."

I inspected myself. My right arm was more or less normal, my left was not. It had been covered with what looked suspiciously like the Divine Cannon. My leg armor was somewhat reminiscent of Virages, and I had six wings as opposed to the usual two. The chest plate was larger than normal as well, seven gems instead of one. My sword, while still single edged, was much broader.

I turned to Lloyd, smirking. "Looks like your plan backfired, this time." My voice grew colder. "Now, how on earth do you know about our kind?"

The other shrugged. "I encountered a disgruntled member of an organization called the Watchers. He said something about people who live forever and run around cutting each other's heads off with swords. He also said they needed to be destroyed."

"One of Horton's people," Mac growled.

"I was naturally intrigued by this," Lloyd continued, "so I did some research of my own. This led me to Kim Sun."

"And the rest is history," I snarled. "And now, so are you!" I shouted, raising my cannon. "Eat this!!" I fired, just as he vanished. "What the!?"

"He must be a Wingly!" Meru said. "We can teleport for short distances."

"Let's go after him!" Dart said.

Unfortunately, Lloyd got the drop on us halfway down the mountain. Dart nearly caught up with him, but the treacherous Wingly caught both Dart and Rose with a fireball, knocking them both off a cliff. Blast it! He knows this will delay us long enough for his escape. No help for it, I guess.

"Dart! Rose!" Meru yelled. Sprouting her wings, she followed the other two over the edge.

I clenched my fists. "That maniac." I glanced at Miranda, just as Meru brought Dart and Rose up. "Miranda, I need to ask you something. You have a Divine Moon Object in Mille Seseau, correct? I ask because I can guarantee Lloyd will be after it."  
She nodded. "It's called the Moon Mirror, kept in the Tower of Flanvel."

Dart frowned. "Flanvel?"

"It was a Wingly fortress during the Dragon Campaign," Rose said.

"Queen Theresa is the key to the tower-" Miranda broke off, her eyes widening. "Then Lloyd will come for her!"

I froze, then glanced around wildly. Not again. "Guys, you go on ahead. I just felt the Buzz again."

"He's right," Mac confirmed.

"But we can't leave him to fight alone!" Meru protested.

"Meru, these fights are always one on one, remember?" I said. "Don't worry, I can take care of myself." The others ran down the mountain, leaving me to face whichever new Immortal threat was presenting itself. How many more are going to show up!? This is getting ridiculous!

Then I saw him and my blood ran cold. No way! It can't be!

Miccolo Caminetti lifted his sword with an evil grin. "Long time no see, Belmont," he said in a pronounced Italian accent.

"Not long enough," I snarled.

[Flashback, fourteen years ago]

_A ten-year-old boy lies sobbing on the floor, the bloody remains of his foster parents sprawled before him. Gore covers him, and yet he is unhurt…physically._

_A harsh laugh fills the room. "That's what they get for interfering," an Italian voice says. The speaker looks at the boy. "Don't worry, little boy. I won't hurt you."_

The boy, overcome with grief, doesn't respond.

"Why won't I hurt you?" the voice asks mockingly. "It's not because you're young and helpless, oh no. I've killed younger people than you before. No, it's because one day, you will be like me. When that day comes, remember the name of Miccolo Caminetti. I'll be waiting."

[End flashback]

I shook with rage. Miccolo Caminetti, Roman Inquisitor turned Cosa Nostra thug, smirked in amusement. "Is that all you've got, boy?" he asked derisively.

I raised my blade. "Hardly. I have your death right here, bastard."

Caminetti laughed. "You're holding a grudge after fourteen years?" He snorted in feigned disbelief.

__

"Is there any particular reason I shouldn't!?" I demanded. "You killed the only people who ever thought of me as anything other than a useless burden!" My voice rose with my growing anger. "You stole the closest thing I ever had to a normal life!!" I was shouting now. "And for what!? A little extra cash!?"

He laughed again. "There you go again, snarling in righteous anger. What a waste. Your foster parents were weak. The weak are nothing more than prey for the strong. Only the strong survive."

I took a deep breath to calm myself; berserk rage would only get me killed. "You're wrong, Caminetti." My voice was now icy cold. "The sort of life you describe is totally without meaning. The strong feed upon the weak, and only the strong survive. That is an empty existence." I looked him in the eye. "Life is precious. _All_ life. And since you take life without even caring, and willfully hurt innocents, I will rid the world of you." I assumed a fighting stance. "Prepare to die."

Caminetti swung his own weapon. "Come and get me, boy."

Needing no further encouragement, I lunged, swinging once, twice, three times, each attack narrowly blocked. Shifting tactics, I stabbed upward, nicking him in the chin. "I was trained by the best. I have beaten better fighters than you will ever be."

"Oh really?" The counterattack had me literally seeing red, thanks to a gash above my left eye. "I think you're overestimating your abilities, and underestimating mine."

"Do you really think I'm that stupid?" I shot back, slamming a fist into his stomach. "I know more about you than you realize." Caminetti crumpled around the site of the blow, and I spun around, knocking his sword out of his hand and over a cliff. "It's over."

He looked up at me. "If you kill me, then you're no different."

I laughed. "Wrong, wrong, wrong. You kill for the fun of it, I kill to protect the innocent. The fact that I'll be avenging my parents is just a bonus." I slashed down once.

For nearly a full minute, the Mountain of the Mortal Dragon was bathed in light. The effect was so intense that I nearly followed Caminetti's sword off the cliff. I screamed once, then collapsed, exhausted. Mom, Dad, it's over.

***

Author's note: Now you see what I meant by major changes. Even bigger changes are coming in Vellweb, so don't be too shocked at what happens.

In response to Sword Master Jeff's review, it's not that I dislike Miranda, I simply wish Shana was a party member for the entire game (another mistake I intend to correct). I do, however, like how you referred to how she handles Rose, though I should point out that they settle their differences in Ulara. 

For anyone who might be unaware, the Cosa Nostra is the Italian Mafia.

Thanks for the reviews, and keep them coming. D.S. 


	13. Chapter 13: From Flanvel to Vellweb

I own none of this. 

***

I slowly got to my feet, somewhat dazed. That was a big one. I guess you never really get used to it. I looked around, finally spotting Caminetti's headless body. So much for that creep. Now…you're part of me.

I shifted my gaze skyward. How long was I out? The it hit me. The others!

I transformed and took off for Flanvel Tower.

***

The sheer speed took me by surprise, but I wasn't complaining. Thanks to that, I made it to the Tower in less than an hour. "Now, where would they be?" I muttered. "At this rate, I'll go snow-blind before I can find them."

"Ray! Over here!"

I spun in midair, spotting the other Dragoon near an icy ramp. "Meru!" I made a rough landing and shed the armor. "Sorry I'm late." 

"Don't worry about that! We gotta move!"

Meru and I caught up with the rest near Flanvel's base. "Any trouble?"

Dart glanced quickly at me. "Not yet, but I think that's about to change.

Kongol sniffed the air. "I smell blood. There's a large monster nearby. And we're intruders." He lifted his axe. "Here it comes!"

I drew my weapon and transformed, the remaining Dragoons mere seconds behind me. "Let's see how you like this! Divine Dragon Ball!" A plate on my left shoulder opened, sending multiple blasts of energy into the hideous beast.

"Rose Storm!" Albert, once again giving us a defensive edge.

Lavitz and Meru struck from either side, a very odd combination. Regole backed them up with ramming attacks, since her magic was the next best thing to useless in this fight. Kongol joined them from above.

"Astral Drain!"

"Atomic Mind!"

You're no match for us, I thought. You'll be dead before- My thoughts were interrupted by an arrow whistling past my left ear. I shot a brief glare at Miranda. "Careful where you point that thing, huh?"

She smiled sweetly. "Oops."

Great, she's starting to sound like Amanda. This is not a good sign. "'Oops', indeed. Just be careful next time, okay?" Not waiting for a response, I charged up another spell. "It's show time, freak! Divine Dragon Cannon!"

A gigantic beam of energy lanced out from my left arm, striking the monster dead center and vaporizing it. Wha, what the!? I looked down at my arm. "Did I just do that?"

"The Divine Dragon was very powerful," Rose said. "It should come as no surprise that your magic is equally devastating."

"I'll keep that in mind." I hit the ground hard. "Now we can finish Lloyd off."

Mac pulled me aside as we climbed. "Who was it, at the Mountain?"

I felt my lip twist. "I think you've heard of him. Miccolo Caminetti."

The Highlander shuddered. "I met him during the Thirty Years War. Not a nice man."

"I remember him," Methos said. "I had a less than pleasant encounter with him in about 1517, at the start of the Reformation. He almost took my head."

"Well, then, fear not. He's dead." I sighed, hauling myself up a ledge. "I wonder what happened to that ex-Watcher Lloyd mentioned."

Further conversation was cut off by the abrupt appearance of a small penguin-like creature, which I easily dispatched. That out of the way, I took my first good look at the Tower of Flanvel. The place was oddly shaped, even for a Wingly structure: a narrow core topped by a vaguely spherical chamber. "This was a Wingly fortress?"

Rose nodded. "Shot down by a human weapon, the Spear Shooter. It was the personal fortress of Melbu Frahma's second-in-command, Magician Faust."

"So the Moon Mirror is in there?" Dart asked.

"It is," Miranda confirmed. "We'd better hurry."

We were just barely too late. The green teleporter orb dissolved just in time for me to see Lloyd retrieving the Moon Mirror. "Thank you for your cooperation, Your Majesty."

Theresa took a step back. "What…are you?"

Dart drew his sword. "Lloyd!"

The Wingly turned to him, unperturbed. "Here they are." With a quick swipe of his hand, he snatched the Moon Dagger from my belt. "I just got all three Divine Moon Objects. Now the world will be reborn into the utopia Emperor Diaz and I desire."

"The world will be reborn!? What are you talking about!?" Dart demanded.

Lloyd glanced at the Queen. "You should know, Your Majesty. The fate created by the will of Soa. The divine evolution." He turned back to us. "You humans are merely the 106th in the plan. And…we Winglies are the 107th in the plan." The Dragon Buster flared to life in his hand. "I desire the 108th evolution! For that, I will use every conceivable means!"

"Lloyd! Is that all you have to say!?" Dart snarled.

The other brandished his weapon. "I'll let my sword say the rest! Shall we finish up?"

"I'll finish you up," I growled, raising my blade. "I won't die yet again." I charged, swinging my sword in an infinity loop, slashing high and low. Lloyd blocked the high cut, but the low one got through, bouncing off his armored leg.

He smirked and countered, slicing deeply into my arm. "Can't you do better than that, Immortal?" He danced aside slightly, narrowly avoiding one of Miranda's arrows. "Missed." The Wingly leapt into the air and slammed to the floor, along with four giant spikes.

I didn't recognize the effect, but Meru apparently did. "Watch out, guys! This is gonna hurt!"

As usual, my young friend understated it rather severely. Most of us were badly injured, and Richie was killed outright. Poor Richie. First the Divine Dragon nails him, and now this. "No more games." I stood, drawing on the power of the Divine Dragon, trusting my immortality to guard against the Dragon Buster. "Take this, traitor!" I attacked from above, ending by scraping a huge ball of energy off my cannon.

To my great annoyance, Lloyd was unfazed. "I think not." His next attack wasn't a killing blow, but it sure felt like one. I was out of the fight.

Dart had apparently had enough. Roaring a challenge, he charged Lloyd directly. The Wingly dodged at the last moment, landing heavily several feet away, his wings fading. Dart slowly turned and swung his blade in a circle, then charged again, sword raised for a killing blow.

It never landed. Much to my astonishment, and rage, Wink, the Third Sacred Sister of Mille Seseau, blocked Dart's attack, receiving a shallow cut across the back for her trouble. Wink yelled in pain, and then, in a near whisper, said, "Please…forgive Lloyd."

That was too much. I picked myself up off the floor and stalked forward. "Forgive Lloyd!? Are you out of your mind!?"

"He saved my life twice!"

"I couldn't care less," I snapped. My voice became low and deadly. "Lloyd had Shana kidnapped from Seles, stole the Moon Gem from Albert, killing me in the process, manipulated the war in Serdio, nearly caused a catastrophe in Tiberoa, and kidnapped your own Queen!!"

"Hey! She's hurt!" Meru yelled.

"Through her own stupidity," I shot back. "Wink, given all that, just who do you think you are, getting in the way like that!? He had to be stopped!"

Wink was in tears now. "His death won't solve anything."

I shook my head. This woman is hopelessly naïve. Even Shana, bleeding heart that she is, would know better. "Forget it. What are you doing here, anyway? You didn't come all the way to Flanvel to save Lloyd's hide."

Wink looked at Dart. "Shana was taken away!"

The Fire Dragoon went rigid. "What!?"

"By the man named Emperor Diaz."

"At last, he has begun to take action by himself," Lloyd murmured.

I shot him one icy glance. "What does he want?"

Wink trembled a little. "He said to bring the Divine Moon Objects and Lloyd to Vellweb."

I looked at the other Immortals. Mac, predictably, was outraged. "Kidnapping to get his hands on a few artifacts," he growled. "Doesn't sound like a hero to me."

Richie had revived just in time to catch Wink's arrival. "Bastard sounds like Horton."

The big surprise came from Methos. "If Shana is hurt in any way, this 'Diaz' is dead."

I raised an eyebrow. "You don't usually sound like that, old man." 

He snorted. "I don't like kidnappers. Besides, Mac's rubbing off on me," he added, nodding to the Highlander. "I haven't decided yet whether or not it's a good thing." 

"Whatever." I shrugged. "Next stop, Vellweb."

***

In order to get to Vellweb, we first had to pass through the snowfields to the west. I admit I like cold climates, but this was a little too much. The moment we got their, we ran into a huge blizzard, forcing us to take refuge in a nearby cave.

Lloyd made himself useful by starting a fire, then sat down. "There is something I have to tell you before we get to Vellweb. It's about Diaz."

"Finally," Dart muttered.

Lloyd ignored him. "I first met Diaz three years ago in the ruins of Kadessa. He spoke of the decay of the world, saying it was no different from the world ruled by Melbu Frahma, the Wingly dictator. He wanted to rejuvenate the world."

Lavitz eyed him suspiciously. "How?"

"Through the 108th race," Lloyd replied. "'Count 108 years, and when the Moon That Never Sets glows red, a Moon Child descends upon the earth, and shall give a holy blessing to the world.' The Moon Child is the 108th race, the final evolution that will rejuvenate the world."

Rose shook her head adamantly. "That's not true."

The Wingly glanced at her in surprise. "It is the truth. Then why does the Black Monster continue to kill the Moon Child?" He answered his own question, "The Black Monster imagines himself scorched to death by the holy light."

Rose didn't answer.

I frowned. She's been getting edgy of late. And this bit about the Black Monster is hitting just a little too close to home. Aside from Rose, I was the only one present who knew the truth about the Moon Child. So Lloyd's been duped. He really thinks he's doing what's right.

Dart stormed over and grabbed Lloyd by the collar. "Why did you kidnap Shana!? What is she to you!?"

Lloyd was unruffled. "The rest will be told by Diaz." Dart dropped him in disgust.

"You say you met Diaz in Kadessa?" Albert asked. Lloyd nodded. "Is that how you got the Dragon Buster and those Dragoon Spirits?"

"Exactly. You know, of course, who I gave them to."

I gazed contemplatively at my Spirit, the Dragoon Spirit of the Divine Dragon. Such power, in such a small object. Why did it choose me? Is it because I'm an Immortal? That reminded me of a question I had. "Lloyd, what happened to that ex-Watcher you mentioned?"

He shrugged. "I believe your friend Dawson shot him."

"Good riddance," Mac muttered. No surprise there, Mac had had too many run-ins with Horton's crowd.

Miranda leaned close, her voice pitched so only I could hear. "Ray, who are the Watchers?"

"The Watchers," I replied, "are a secret society devoted to observing and recording the lives and deeds of Immortals. They observe and record, but never interfere…theoretically. The reality is somewhat different. Methos managed to infiltrate them about ten years ago, trying to get out of the Game. The guy Lloyd just referred to, Joe Dawson, is one of Mac's closest friends."

"How'd MacLeod find out about them?"

I sighed. "Just over two years ago, a man named James Horton, who happened to be Joe's brother-in-law, formed a group called the Hunters, dedicated to destroying us. You see, he was assigned to watch one of the most evil of us who ever existed: the Kurgan. This guy was the ultimate sociopath; he'd kill just because he felt like it. He was finally beheaded by Mac's cousin Connor MacLeod, about the same time Methos joined the Watchers. Anyway, Horton was convinced that we were all bombs waiting to go off, so he started hunting us down. Mac was brought into it by an attempt on his friend Hugh Fitzcairn, who sadly died a year later. The cat-and-mouse game when on for over a year, culminating in Horton's death at Mac's hand."

She shook her head, clearly disgusted. "Bastards." Miranda hesitated. "Who was Caminetti.?"

I winced. "Miccolo Caminetti was a thug. He killed my parents fourteen years ago. Foster parents, actually; none of us are sure of our origins. They were the only people who ever thought of me as anything but a useless burden, until I met MacLeod, any way. And Caminetti killed them, just for a little money." I shivered as old memories came flooding back: my parents lying dead before me, blood everywhere, and Caminetti's cruel laughter. I shook myself. "But that's over."

"I'm sorry. I didn't mean to bring back bad memories."

I waved that away. "Like I said, it's over. Caminetti's dead, so everything's settled there." I stretched. "I don't know about you, but I'm going to get some sleep. I have the distinct feeling that something nasty is going to happen when we hit Vellweb, and I want to be rested for it."

***

Vellweb was much more to my taste than Kadessa. While just as ruined, it didn't have the air of sadness that so permeated the Forbidden Land. So, this is where Rose and company spent their time when they weren't fighting. I'll bet it was a sight to see in its prime. "Just where are we supposed to go?"

Lloyd gestured. "Diaz's throne is at the base of the tower of the seven Dragoons. That is where we must go."

"Shana had better be safe," Dart said tightly.

There isn't much to tell about the trip. We walked, killed monsters, and generally wrought havoc until we reached the throne. Oddly enough, the room was in better shape than the rest of Vellweb. There was also no sign of Diaz, but right in front…

Dart ran forward. "Shana!" Before he could get to her, she floated out of reach. "What the!?"

There was a green flash, and a man in a red robe and mask appeared. Lloyd addressed him. "Diaz, here are the Divine Moon Objects. There are no more obstacles hindering our utopia. Release the girl."

Diaz caught the magic artifacts. "Fine." Shana drifted into Dart's arms. "Now the final race will be born."

Rose's eyes narrowed. "If you are the true Diaz, you should know what this implies."

The man nodded. "Total destruction."

Lloyd paled. "Wha…what!?"

Diaz looked at him. "Lloyd you have done well. Now we the last species we desire, the true Virage, will be born. I will create the utopia once the world has been purged."

The Wingly shook. "You deceived me." The Dragon Buster flashed out. "My utopia exists in the future of this world! Not its destruction!"

"I don't need you anymore." Diaz released a blast of magic, smashing Lloyd through the floor.

"Diaz! What are you thinking!?" Dart shouted.

The other shrugged. "I don't need to hide anymore." With a dramatic flourish, he removed his mask. "It's been a while. Rose…Dart." The man's face bore a disturbing resemblance to our leader's.

Dart went pale with shock. "_Father!?_"

Rose, amazingly, was even more strongly affected. "Oh, it cannot be!"

Methos nudged me. "You were right. Dart is the son of the first Fire Dragoon. Their reactions prove it."

"Dad! Is it really you!?" Dart couldn't believe his eyes.

Rose was actually losing control. "You died! With Melbu Frahma on each other's swords!"

"Now I can tell you everything." Zieg paced. "In the beginning, there was nothing. The Soa planted the Divine Tree, which bore 108 fruits. Gigantos from the 86th fruit. Minintos from the 99th fruit. Dragons from the 105th fruit. Humans from the 106th fruit. Winglies with magical power from the 107th fruit. And last, the Virage Embryo, the God of Destruction from the 108th fruit." He laughed. "The Winglies found out about the tragedy waiting for them and sealed the god by separating its flesh and soul. The flesh became the Moon That Never Sets, and the soul was sealed in the Crystal Sphere, so Melbu Frahma could draw unlimited magical power from it. He ruled all. But humans, with Dragoons at there head, rebelled. In a final confrontation, they cornered Melbu in Kadessa. I felt certain of human…my victory," he corrected himself. "And then, the spell of petrification captured me. I have waited for eleven thousand years." Zieg nodded at Rose. "Time, almost eternal, dissolved the spell of Melbu. Days spent with Rose became the eternal past, and I lived as the father of Dart in this age, until the tragic day in Neet."

Dart was overwhelmed. "So, both you and Rose are heroes of the Dragon Campaign!?"

"There's more." Zieg was apparently enjoying himself. "Silly humans destroyed the Crystal Sphere. The God of Destruction was exultant. It could now be born. It possessed a human body, so as to reach the Moon That Never Sets. 'Count 108 years, and when the Moon That Never sets glows red, a Moon Child shall descend upon the earth, to give a holy blessing to the world.' The 'holy blessing' is the destruction." He laughed, and I could tell a bombshell was coming. "But, one Dragoon found out about it. Every 108 years, she has killed the Moon Child and those around it. By stopping her own time, she was even called a demon." My heart sank as he pointed at Rose. "That is the true self of Rose…the Black Monster!"

Dart whirled. "Rose is…the Black Monster!?"

Rose looked away, unable to speak.

"It's true, Dart," I said gently. "I knew from the beginning, and she later told Methos." I glanced at Richie. "That's what I meant by her dark past, Richie."

The Fire Dragoon was clearly in agony. "Why!? Why did it have to be you!?"

Rose at last found her voice. "The Moon Child has to be killed, and the people around it, too, before they become servants of the God of destruction."

"Neet, too!?"

"For eleven thousand years, there have been no exceptions."

"Enough." Zieg gestured, and Shana floated over to him. "I will tell you one more thing. Rose, you thought the Princess Louvia you killed eighteen years ago was the Moon Child, but that is not true."

Rose stared in anguish. "N, no…"

"Louvia had a twin sister." Zieg laughed triumphantly. "Shana is the Moon Child!"

And then came the last sound I ever expected to hear in Endiness: gunshots. Blood spurted from Zieg's chest, and he fell, hard. Released from the telekinetic grip, Shana also fell, Kongol just barely catching her. I spun, looking for the source of the gunfire. What I saw was Methos, the oldest Immortal, a smoking autopistol in his hand. "Nice shooting, old man."

He grinned. "Figured he wouldn't even know what a gun is, let alone expect to be shot."

"No argument there…what the!?"

Zieg was glowing greenish white, as though something was rising from him. This impression proved very accurate indeed; a spirit separated from his body. At the same time, Shana was glowing even more brightly. Somehow, I knew what was happening at once: whatever was rising from Zieg was absorbing Shana's power. The spirit solidified in a new body, a very evil-looking Wingly. Who is that!?

Rose stared at the newcomer with obvious loathing. "Melbu Frahma! But Zieg killed you!"

The ancient Wingly laughed. "He couldn't finish the job. I sealed my soul in his Dragoon Spirit. When you attacked Neet, the fool attempted to use his powers, which was just what I was waiting for. I possessed him then, and left." He shot a contemptuous look at Shana. "Now, thanks to the Moon Child, I have a new body, and I will soon become one with the God of Destruction. Keep the girl, I no longer need her." Melbu vanished.

Miranda hurried to Zieg's side, immediately casting healing magic. The bulled wounds disappeared, and Zieg slowly opened his eyes. "I'm…still alive?"

Rose threw her arms around him. "Zieg, it's really you!" To my astonishment, the Dark Dragoon was actually crying.

Zieg returned the embrace. "It's been far too long, Rose." He smiled at his son. "And you, Dart. You've grown."

Dart worked his mouth. "Dad, I…"

"It's all right." The older man carefully got to his feet. "I understand, and I'm sorry."

"It's not your fault, Dad." Dart hugged him. "You couldn't have done anything else."

"Thank you." Zieg swept his gaze over all of us. "I know it's hard, but I want you to understand. What Rose did had to be done, or the world would have been destroyed long ago. Please, forgive her."

Under other circumstances, Dart would probably have argued, but a plea from his own father was something else. "You're right."

Rose looked at Shana. "Shana, I'm sorry. I tried to kill you, and succeeded in killing your sister. I didn't want to, but I had no choice. Can you-" she was cut off when Shana hugged her.

"Rose, I've always thought of you as a big sister," Shana murmured. "Besides, I'd rather die than become the God of Destruction."

Rose hugged her back. "That, at least, you don't have to worry about." She stepped back, looking more alive than I'd ever seen her. "I think we should go to Ulara next."

"The Spring Breath Town?" Zieg said.

"The same. Charle should be able to help."

"There's still something I have to do," Dart said. Removing his Dragoon Spirit, he offered it to his father. "Dad, this belongs to you."

Zieg placed one hand over it, and came away with an extra. "That won't be necessary."

Meru gaped. "How'd you do that!?"

"Residual magic. Courtesy of Melbu. Thought I might put it to good use." He looked significantly at Miranda.

Knowing precisely what he meant, the Sacred Sister had her Spirit copied, and offered the extra to Shana. "This is for you, Your Highness."

Shana accepted it. "Thank you. But, please don't call me that. Even if I was born a princess, Seles is my home."

"Alright."

"I suggest we rest before setting out," I said. "We've got a long journey ahead."

Zieg nodded in agreement. "You're right." 

***

Author's note: I said there would be some big changes here, so don't say you weren't warned. To anticipate a couple of likely questions, Rose is unusually emotional here because she just got her fiancé back, and I included he residual magic because I couldn't think of any other way to have extra Dragoon Spirits.

On a side note, Ray's little tirade against Wink is more or less how I felt the first time I watched that scene. Lloyd isn't really a bad guy, true, but they don't know that until later.

Next chapter will be mostly a flashback, as Ray tells the story of how he became Immortal. D.S. 


	14. Chapter 14: Memories

Same disclaimer.

***

"Now I know why this place is called the Death Frontier," Richie grumbled. 

"Few ever survive traveling through here, Richie," Rose replied. "No one would expect a thriving town dead center in this desert."

I was still getting used to the changes in Rose. When I'd first met her, she was a cold-blooded killer who would as soon cut someone's throat as look at them. Now, reunited with her fiancé, Zieg, the change was remarkable. She was actually being friendly with the rest of us; I'd even caught her joking with Meru, which would have been unthinkable just a few days earlier.

"Emphasis on 'dead', Rose," Methos put in. "It's a good thing we brought plenty of water. Dehydration is not a pleasant way to die."

We made camp shortly thereafter.

"Zieg…" Haschel trailed off, then visibly braced himself and continued. "Dart said his mother was named Claire. My daughter, who ran away more than twenty years ago, had the same name. Was Dart's mother…?"

"From Rouge? Yes," Zieg said.

Haschel sighed. "Then my search is over."

"I'm sorry, Haschel," Rose whispered.

He shook his head. "Don't worry about it. You had no choice."

I sprawled on my back, staring at the sky. Haschel is Dart's grandfather. Rose and Zieg fought in the Dragon Campaign. Dart is Zieg's son. Everyone seems to have a connection to Dart, be it friendship or something more. I glanced briefly at Shana. She's obviously in love with our fearless leader.

"Um, Ray?"

I turned my head slightly. "What's up, Miranda?"

"I wanted to ask you." Miranda hesitated, then took the plunge. "How did you become Immortal?"

"Yeah! I wanna hear it, too!" Meru piped up. 

"I as well." Albert, no surprise.

"Alright." I gazed off into the distance. "Rose has heard the basics, and of course Mac, Richie, and Methos know the whole story." I nodded to them. "It started about eight months ago…"

***

[Chicago, Illinois, eight months earlier] 

***

My eyes snapped open and I gasped. My first impression was that I was lying on a table, my second was that my clothes were missing. What the? Where am I? My last memory was of searing pain as a knife stabbed into my heart. I should be dead. I quickly examined my chest. No wound. Not even a scar, or any other mark. What is going on here?

I heard a door open behind me. "Poor guy. Knifed to death, no family." A female voice, fairly young. She came into my field of vision, saw that I was awake, and let out a piercing shriek. "But…but…you're dead!!"

I pushed off the table, careful to keep the sheet. "Not quite, sorry." I still had no idea what had happened, but I knew that waiting around wasn't the smartest thing to do. "Would you happen to know where my clothes are?"

Speechless, she pointed to a nearby drawer, then ran, screaming.

"Guess she's not used to the dead waking up. Oh, well. Not my problem." You might question that little wisecrack, but it was my way of staying sane in the face of something which, on the surface, was flat out impossible. I swiftly got dressed and made good my escape.

***

[Seacouver]

***

Three days later, I found myself in the Pacific Northwest, complete with fake identification. (Illegal, I know, but I had no choice. It's amazing what you learn from a life on the streets.) Seacouver was much more to my taste than Chicago: smaller, and more rain. (Another oddity on my part, but isn't everyone a little strange, when you think about it?) For reasons I never quite figured out, I turned down a small alleyway. It was then that I felt the Buzz for the first time.

I can't really describe the sensation to anyone who hasn't experienced it. The closest comparison I can think of is a headache that doesn't actually hurt, almost a throbbing.

While I was still trying to figure this out, a deep voice spoke behind me. "I'm Duncan MacLeod of the Clan MacLeod."

I slowly turned, and found the speaker mere feet away. You guys all know what he looks like, so a description would be redundant. MacLeod held his sword at the ready. "My name is Raymond Belmont, and is there a reason you're pointing a sword at me?" My voice shook despite my efforts.

MacLeod looked me over, then slowly lowered his weapon. "I thought you were after my head, but it's pretty clear you don't even know what you are."

"What I am? What's that supposed to mean?"

He shook his head quickly. "Not here. Come with me, and I'll explain."

I didn't know why, but I knew I could trust him. "Alright."

MacLeod took me to his home, right above a dojo he'd purchased two years earlier. "Have a seat. You drink?"

I shrugged. "I have an occasional beer."

"Coming right up." He tossed me a can, took one for himself, and sat down. "Do you remember something bad happening recently? Something that should have killed you, but didn't?"

I sipped once. "Yeah. Some thug knifed me in Chicago. I woke up on a table in the morgue, wondering why I wasn't dead. Three days ago, it would be."

MacLeod then dropped a bombshell. "You were dead. You were dead, but you came back."

My eyes widened. "Say _what!?_ Could you run that by me again?"

"You're an Immortal, like me. You won't age anymore, and the only way you can permanently die is by beheading." He chuckled at my expression. "That's why I carry a sword around. If someone tries to take my head, I need to be ready to fight."

I frowned. "Maybe I'm dense, but why would someone want your head? Do you have a price on your head or something?"

MacLeod sobered. "It's because of the Game, Ray. Now that you're Immortal, you need to learn to fight. If you don't, you're doomed."

"What's the 'Game'?"

"It's basically a series of duels to the death. When one Immortal defeats another and takes his head, he absorbs his enemy's power through the Quickening. According to legend, we have to fight until there's only one left. The last one will receive the Prize, though no one knows what it is. Some believe that the time of the Gathering, where a lot of us go at it at once, is already here, others think it'll be a while yet."

I raised an eyebrow. "And what do you think? Do you believe in it at all?"

He hesitated. "You know, I'm not quite sure anymore. I used to, certainly, thanks to my cousin Connor, but I'm not certain anymore. Probably not, come to think of it. It'd be nice if it was a myth; there are plenty of Immortals I have no desire to behead. That's why I only fight if I'm challenged."

I nodded. "Besides, how can there be only one if so many of us are born all the time?"

"Good point." He glanced out the window; it was starting to rain. "That doesn't really matter at the moment. I can't force you, but you need this if you're going to survive. I can teach you."

I smiled. "Thanks. I really appreciate it, you going out of your way for a guy like me."

MacLeod laughed. "Not the first time. One of my closest friends used to be just a street kid. You'll meet him soon enough." He stood, draining his beer. "You can stay here for now. We'll get started in the morning."

***

As you are all aware, I have always been a morning person. This proved to be fortunate, as Mac got me up at about 5 A.M.. "Time to get up already?"

"Got to start early." The Highlander grinned. "What, you aren't ready?"

I shot him a dirty look. "Oh, I'm ready. Give me ten minutes, and I'll be good to go."

"Right."

Mac's idea of exercise for a newbie Immortal would put a Marine drill instructor to shame. Start with a fairly extensive warm-up, add a five _mile_ jog, most of it in the park, and finish up with a rough-and-tumble bout in the dojo.

All before breakfast.

I collapsed into a chair, gasping for breath. "Yeesh, Mac, you call that exercise!? I'd call it just shy of torture."

The older man wasn't even winded. "Sometimes a fight comes down to who has more endurance."

I shook my head. "And here I thought I was in good shape."

"You're just getting started." MacLeod glanced at a clock. "We'll start sword work this afternoon. Richie and Joe are coming about then."

"Who're they?"

"Richie Ryan is the Immortal I told you about last night, the guy who grew up on the streets. Joe Dawson is a member of an organization called the Watchers. They watch our lives, wanting to know the truth about us."

I mulled this. "Can't blame them, I guess. How'd you meet this Dawson?"

Mac's eyes got a distant look. "A friend of mine was kidnapped and nearly killed by renegade Watchers a couple years back. I met Joe while investigating it."

"Interesting."

MacLeod got up and retrieved a large case. "In order to learn sword work, you need a sword." He opened the case. "Pick one."

I reached in and lifted a slightly curved Japanese blade. "I think this one will do." It was an elegant weapon, a silver blade with an intricately carved black handle. "It's beautiful."

Mac smiled. "Take care of it, and it will take care of you." He drew his own blade. "Mine is a similar design, so I'll be able to teach you the same style."

I grinned. "What are we waiting for?" I froze when the Buzz hit me. "Someone's here."

The older man shrugged. "Probably Riche; I guess he's here early."

Richie Ryan was waiting for us when we came down the stairs. "Hey, Mac, Joe told me you've got a new Immortal here."

MacLeod introduced us. "Ray Belmont, meet Richie Ryan."

I shook Richie's hand, smiling. "Pleased to meet you."

He grinned. "Same here. Got knifed?"

"Yeah, in Chicago." I shrugged. "Had to happen sooner or later. I may be young, but I've been around a bit. Almost got myself killed in Greece, of all places. Before you ask how I could have managed that sort of trip, I should say that I briefly had a job with an airline. I quit a month later."

"Lucky you," Richie said with a slight wince. "I grew up on the streets, then got shot by a thug." He and Mac exchanged a brief glance.

"Well," I said, trying to lighten the mood, "I'm supposed to start sword training, so why don't we get to it."

"Right." Mac accepted the change. "First of all…"

The next three hours were spent going through the basics: foot posture, guard positions, shifting between defense and attack, holding the sword just right, nuances I had no idea existed. It helped that I was a quick study, otherwise it would almost certainly have taken much longer. 

"You've got talent," MacLeod commented. "Not many pick up the basics that quickly."

"I've always been fascinated by swords," I said, sheathing my weapon. "I've read everything I could get my hands on."

"So this is the new Immortal," a new voice said. A tall, bearded man with a pair of artificial legs limped his way over.

Mac clapped him on the shoulder. "Didn't hear you come in, Joe. How much did you see?"

"Enough to know this guy's going to be trouble to anyone stupid enough to take him on." He turned to me. "I'm Joe Dawson, from the Watchers. Mac told you about us, right?"

"He did indeed." I leaned against the wall, breathing hard. "Right before he sliced me up."

Richie laughed. "At least he didn't beat you up."

"He did that, too." I shook my head. "Any other visitors for today?"

"Adam Pierson's coming tomorrow," Dawson replied. "Didn't say why." He looked at me. "He's an immortal Watcher. Joined about ten years ago, trying to stay out of the game."

I frowned. "If he's trying to hide, why tell me?"

"You'll be able to tell he's Immortal right away, remember?" Joe chuckled. "Besides, I think he'll like you."

"You got some news, Joe?" Mac asked.

"Yeah." The Watcher carefully sat down. "Heard about a nasty Immortal in the area, name of Ishmael bin Shakr." He gave me a measuring glance. "He's an Arab with an attitude problem, and despite being a hundred and fifty years old, he's not that good. You shouldn't have any trouble if you run into him."

"Thanks, I think." I pushed away from the wall. "Here we go again."

"I think we should call it quits for today." Mac stretched. "Can't do too much at once."

***

I trained with MacLeod for six months. Two days after showing up in Seacouver, Adam Pierson told me his real name: Methos. When asked why, he only said he had his reasons. I think one reason he didn't give details was an enjoyment of confusing others.

Anyway, there is only one more event prior to my arrival here that is worth noting. A week after I left MacLeod, I was walking in a thick fog, when I abruptly felt the Buzz. I drew my sword at once. "I'm Raymond Belmont. Show yourself."

A tall, dark man stepped into view. "You won't need that," he said, eyeing my sword.

"And why is that?" I asked, not believing him for an instant.

The man held open his coat. "I stopped taking heads a long time ago. I don't even carry a sword anymore."

I was still suspicious, but he was clearly unarmed. "Who in blazes are you, anyway?"

He smiled. "The oldest of us still alive. I am Methos."

Yeah, and I'm a dolphin. "Indeed. Why would a five thousand-year-old Immortal be without a sword except on holy ground?"

"Why not?" "Methos" was eerily calm. "Do we really have to fight?"

"I don't believe in the Game, but that doesn't mean I'm stupid," I said coldly. "I'd prefer to keep my head."

"What if there were a way to stop the killing?" This guy was starting to get on my nerves. "What if all Immortals could exist in peace?"

"Were you born that stupid, or did you have to study for it?" I stepped forward. "As long as even one of us is hunting others, we have to be ready to defend ourselves. If you can't see that, then you are the biggest idiot I have ever met." With that, I spun on my heel and walked into the mist.

***

"…and that's all there is to tell," I finished. "Rose saw my first battle, so she can fill you in on that one. She probably remembers it better than I do anyway."

"One thing, Ray," Methos said. "I told you who I am because I knew I could trust you. I don't do that lightly."

"Thanks." I yawned. "If there's nothing else, I'm going to sleep."

Miranda had one more question. "What are you going to do, when this is all over?"

I shrugged. "I thought I'd settle in Deningrad. It just seems like a nice place."

She smiled. "I think that'd be great."

Am I missing something here? I dismissed that thought with another shrug. "Glad you approve. See you guys in the morning." I stretched out and fell asleep almost instantly.

***

Author's note: Only a few more chapters to go. Next, the gang goes to Ulara. Not much else to say, except thanks again for the reviews. D.S.


	15. Chapter 15: The Three Spheres

Same disclaimer.

***

Ulara was not at all what I had expected. I'd been thinking we were headed for a place similar to Meru's hometown. Boy, was I wrong; intricate buildings and not a tree in sight. Water flowed in huge canals down below, presumably magical in origin.

A female Wingly met us by the teleporter. "Rose, welcome back!" She then caught sight of Rose's companion. "Zieg? Is that you?"

Zieg smiled. "Caron, it's been a long time. Please take us to Charle."

Caron nodded. "O, of course, right away."

"You know this bunch, Zieg?" Methos asked.

"That's right." Zieg gestured expansively. "This was the home base for our Wingly allies during the Dragon Campaign. Nice place to visit, but I always preferred Vellweb."

After seeing Ulara, I was not surprised by my first sight of Charle Frahma. She looked about thirty, except when you gazed into her eyes. Those eyes spoke of millennia of knowledge. Just like Rose, except she hasn't gone through millennia of death and misery. This is not someone to take lightly.

Charle beamed when she saw Zieg. "Zieggy, you're alive!"

Zieggy?

He smiled. "It's good to see you again, Charle. I assume you know why we're here?"

She nodded. "I know all about it. But first, could you introduce me to your son?"

Zieg brought Dart forward. "This is Dart, Dragoon of the Red-Eye Dragon."

Charle smiled. "You look so much alike." She looked at me. "And this is the Divine Dragoon."

Rose introduced me. "Raymond Belmont, Immortal."

"Now that we've got that out of the way," I said, "how about explaining what exactly the Divine Moon Objects have to do with the God of Destruction. We already know about the Crystal Sphere and the Moon Child."

The Wingly sighed. "The Signets were created to seal the way to the Moon and keep the Virage Embryo from being born, and to limit the magic from the Crystal Sphere. I wanted Melbu to stop being a dictator, but he found out and created the Divine Moon Objects so he could break the seal."

"And now he wants to become a god," Mac muttered. "Wonderful."

While they conferred, I quietly slipped out. Let Zieg and Rose decide how to do this, I thought. This is their fight, Rose's especially. To clear my head, I decided to go for a walk. Ulara really was a nice place, though the lack of humans was somewhat disconcerting. (I'm no bigot; it's just that until very recently I had no idea other sentient races existed, and I was far from accustomed to it. Traveling with Meru and Kongol was one thing, being the only human in sight was quite another.) 

Late that night, my wanderings took me to a bar. There, I found Dart, Zieg, Rose, Miranda, Haschel, and, inevitably, Methos. Of course he'd be here. The guy can't go anywhere without a beer.

Dart saw me and waved me over. "We're heading for Rouge in the morning."

"Rouge? Haschel's hometown?"

"That's right," Haschel said, nodding vigorously. "Let's drink up and leave for Rouge right away!"

I leaned close to Miranda. "Is he drunk?"

"'Fraid so." The Sacred Sister shrugged. "He's been drinking ever since he found out our destination." She glanced at the other Immortal, who didn't seem to have noticed my presence. "What's with him?"

I laughed. "If there's a bar within a hundred miles, rest assured Methos will find it. He drinks like a fish whenever he has the chance." 

Miranda chuckled. "Rose told me about that party."

"She did?"

"We've…settled our differences." Miranda shrugged again. "You were right, she knows an awful lot."

"That tends to happen when you live for eleven millennia." I snagged a beer and went outside. Now I'm sure. I'm staying in Endiness. Not many of our kind know of its existence, and I can carry a sword openly without getting weird looks. I turned at the sound of footsteps. "Something wrong, Miranda?"

She looked unusually nervous. "Ray…I might not get another chance to say this…"

My eyes narrowed slightly. "You okay?"

Miranda hesitated, then got it out. "I love you."

I froze. Did she actually say that!? For one of the few times in my life, I was shocked speechless. "Miranda…I…"

She smiled, knowing what I was trying to say. "I know."

I kissed her. "Methos is never gonna let me live this down," I said after a moment. "He once asked me if I had a girlfriend, and I just shot him a nasty look and changed the subject."

Miranda laughed softly. "Has a low sense of humor, does he?"

"You have a gift for understatement." I winced. "Richie's going to be at least as bad, and Amanda worse yet. There are disadvantages to immortality." I felt a pang as the implications of my last comment hit.

Miranda must have seen my expression. "Don't worry about that. Charle said she's going to give the spell of eternity to all the Dragoons and those closest to them. She says that what we have done should never be forgotten, and this is the best way to do it."

I smiled. "Figures. I guess that would mean Guaraha, probably both of the Princesses of Tiberoa, likely the rest of the Sacred Sisters. Am I missing anyone?"

"You forgot about Lavitz's mother."

"Her, too." I yawned. "I think we'd better get some rest, or no one will get out alive."

***

We sailed for Rouge by way of Fletz. As usual, I enjoyed the voyage, especially since this one wasn't interrupted by ghost ships, which is a real treat, I assure you. I should say I mostly enjoyed the voyage; I was unfortunately correct in predicting Methos's reaction. Meru was even worse; Dart later told me she'd been spying on us. I almost blasted her for that one.

Miranda stepped up to the rail. "How long till Rouge?"

"About an hour." I slipped one arm around her. "Haschel's getting steadily more excited."

"No surprise there."

The people of Rouge were just as excited to see Haschel as he was to see them, since he's been away for twenty years. A couple looked sad when informed of Claire's death, but it was hardly unexpected. What the didn't expect was to hear that our leader was Haschel's grandson.

"Much as I hate to interrupt this," I said, "we have urgent business. We're looking for any structure that couldn't have been built by humans."

"A city of the ancient Winglies," Rose added.

The mayor looked blank. "What's a Wingly?"

Zieg nodded to Meru. "She is a Wingly. Is there anything in the area that might fit?"

The head of the local fishermen brightened. "What about that stick out in the ocean?"

The martial arts instructor agreed. "Yeah! No way humans could have built that."

We climbed to a large platform for a better view. Rising from the sea was a large, pinkish tower. Water cascaded down its sides; even from such a great distance I could feel the power emanating from it. I bet that's our destination. The master was right, no way humans built that.

"Do you recognize it, Dad?" Dart asked.

"I do indeed," Zieg replied. "That is the Magical City Aglis, where the ancient Winglies researched magic. One of the remaining Signet Spheres is there."

"How do we get there?" Lavitz wanted to know.

His question was soon answered. Without warning, the ground began shaking, and the sea split in two, leaving a clear path to Aglis. "That answer your question, Lavitz?" I looked mistrustfully at the path. If that thing collapses at the wrong moment, we'll be sleeping with the fishes. "Your call, Dart."

"Let's go."

We got inside without a hitch, and then discovered that whoever brought us there had no intention of allowing us to leave: the sea fell down with a crash.

Kongol checked the door. "The sea closed. We can't go back."

"Someone's playing hardball," Rose muttered. "The question is, who?"

Meru flew around, a look of amazement on her face. "This is the bottom of the sea!"

"I was in the sky when we fought," Zieg mused. "They must not have much power left."

"Why don't we save that for later," Miranda said. "Let's go meet whoever's in charge here."

A few minutes later, we met a strange magical creature. "It's rough, ruff. Ruff doesn't want to be here, but it's a message so that it's rough, ruff. 'Welcome to the heroes fated to be here. And welcome to Rose, who has carried the fate of the world. These seven thousand years have been neither as long as eternity nor as short as the twinkling of a star…'" Ruff spun once. "I forgot the rest."

Miranda, predictably, was not pleased. "What are you talking about!? Answer me, or I'll mess you up!"

Ruff was unruffled. "'Mess you up'? Ruff hasn't seen it and doesn't know, ruff. Show it to Ruff, ruff. It sounds like some rough stuff, ruff."

"I don't think it will say anything useful," Albert said.

The magical creature turned to leave. "Ruff only knows what Ruff hears. All is for the sake of the Psychedelic Bomb and Moot, ruff. Ruff is going, ruff. It's rough, ruff."

"I guess we follow," Haschel said.

Several rooms and magic creatures later, we encountered their master, a Wingly named Savan. He was tall, bald, and very old. He looks like a walking corpse. I studied him carefully. "What do you want with us?"

He sighed. "I survived the Dragon Campaign, searching for a way to restore a Wingly world. I even made myself ageless and immortal. But I found that the world of the Winglies was no longer desired. I was an immortal with no purpose." He gestured to Rose. "But watching Rose gave me a new purpose: to stop the birth of the God of Destruction. To that end, I began the construction of Moot, the new Signet, and the Psychedelic Bomb, a weapon to stop anyone who wishes the final race to be born."

"That still doesn't explain what you want with us," Shana said.

"The Psychedelic Bomb requires the power of courage," Savan replied. "My courage wasn't enough; I need to borrow yours."

"Sounds good to me," Mac said.

"Then please come to the Chamber of Challenges," Savan said. "There your courage will be tested."

The Dragoons among us were directed to warp discs matching our elements, or lack, in my case. All Savan would say was that each of us would face a unique test. I wasn't worried; after facing Immortals, Virages, Dragons, and all sorts of other foes, a test of courage sounded like a piece of cake.

I was wrong.

An image of Connor MacLeod appeared before me. "So, Duncan's student is off to save the world, eh?" His voice was mocking. "There can be only one, remember?"

I drew my sword. "I've never believed that. If you want me, come and get me."

The ersatz MacLeod did just that. I raised my sword to parry, then lowered it. "You won't stop me." His blade passed through my neck without effect.

Another of Savan's creatures appeared. "Courage to face death."

When all the tests were finished, we gathered a few rooms on to receive an even more powerful version of the bomb: the Psychedelic Bomb X.

"Now we go to the Chamber of the Signet and wait," Savan said. "Our enemy should appear."

I stepped in and looked around. "Where's this Moot?"

"Down there." Savan nodded to a red light. "With Moot and the Last Kraken, the guardian, the world is safe."

"Oh really?" Melbu's voice, mocking.

Zieg had his sword out. "Melbu Frahma! I killed you once, I can do it again!"

"Not with the power I have obtained!" Melbu retorted. The Last Kraken twitched; it was swiftly apparent that Frahma was controlling it. "Go, Last Kraken! Destroy Moot along with this city!"

"I don't think so," I growled, morphing. "Divine Dragon Cannon!"

Dart and Zieg transformed together, father and son. "Flameshot!

"Final Burst!"

The Kraken retaliated with a giant thunderbolt. Haschel was barely affected, Meru ignored it, and Richie was killed, again.

"Blinding Light!" Shana and Miranda produced an unexpected team-up attack.

Rose, tiring of the battle, finished up by summoning her Dragon.

I landed, gasping. "So much for that…what!?" The room was shaking like mad.

"The magic energies of the Last Kraken and the Dragoons have overloaded Moot!" Savan shouted. "I'm teleporting you out of here!"

We got out, but Savan didn't. "Savan! What are you doing!?" Dart yelled.

"I must see this through to the end!" was the reply. "Wings to travel the sky will be given. Protect the Sphere in Zenebatos!" There was a loud crash, and all was silent.

"We have no time for grieving," Rose said. "We have to get to the Law City."

We made our way back to the city entrance, heading for a teleporter connected to the Law City Zenebatos. "The warp plates in the Forest just went from floor to floor," I commented, " and this one will take us halfway around the world."

"Next stop, Zenebatos," Dart said.

***

Zenebatos was just as run-down as Aglis, but at least this time we weren't in danger of drowning---just falling. One aspect was similar, at least on the surface: magic creatures patrolled the city. "Just like Aglis. Did the Winglies really have this much power?"

"More," Zieg replied. "Much more. This is just a shadow of the Law City of old."

"Thankfully," Rose put in. "This place was mainly for judging 'other species', primarily humans and Gigantos." Kongol winced at this.

We hit a snag almost at once. "Non-Winglies are prohibited from the Chamber of the Signet," a drone said.

"I'm a Wingly!" Meru protested. The drone simply repeated its message.

"It's no good," Albert said. "We'll have to change the law."

That was easier said than done. We had to dodge patrolling drones and monsters. We were caught once; fortunately, Kongol was too heavy to carry, and broke us out. We proceeded with more caution afterwards. When one got too close, I got fed up and sliced it in half.

"Man, I'm tired of this," Richie complained. "What does it take?"

What it took was a change in the law, followed by another headache. The local judge had convicted us of violating "Soa's will", whatever that was, and sentenced us to death. "Winged executioners, Selebus, Kubila, Vector, execute the sentence!"

"You expect these to stop Dragoons?" I snorted. "Don't make me laugh." Without waiting for a reply, I stepped forward and cut Vector's head off.

Zieg, Rose, Dart, and Shana had Selebus in a four-on-one. Despite her healing abilities, she didn't last long against such a concentrated assault.

That left Kubila, the strongest. The remaining Immortals were dealing with him; sensible, given that he had an instant-death spell. The fight lasted far longer than the others, ending two hours later with Mac's katana in Kubila's heart.

"Come on!" Dart yelled. "To the Chamber of the Signet!"

Unfortunately, we were too late. We saw the Moon Dagger lying on the ground, the Signet Sphere destroyed. Melbu's one step ahead again! This is very, very bad. I slammed a fist on the ground in frustration.

Albert stooped and picked up the Moon Dagger. "This at least will be returned to its rightful owner."

"Even when that owner is dead?"

Melbu Frahma drifted down from the sky. "Foolish humans, can't you accept your fate? You are doomed."

Zieg glared at him. "I didn't give in at Kadessa, Melbu. You lost then, you'll lose now."

The evil Wingly laughed. "I think not. All that remains is the signet of Mayfil, the Death City. Come, why don't you, and see your own deaths." He vanished.

We ran for the warp plate to Mayfil, in a last-ditch effort to stop the birth of a god.

***

I will not say much of Mayfil. The journey was too horrifying to describe; I'll probably be having nightmares on a regular basis for the next millennium. Zombies everywhere, ghosts, demons, and things I can't even begin to comprehend. Not surprisingly, many of the spirits recognized Rose as the Black Monster. They only backed off when her Dragoon Spirit started glowing.

"I cannot die now," she whispered.

This place… I staggered once, then fell to my knees. The pain…

"Ray! What's wrong!?" Miranda asked.

I shuddered. "This place…it's permeated with despair. I'm not the most powerful psychic you'll meet, but it's still very nearly overwhelming." I got unsteadily to my feet. "I'll be alright."

I soon forgot about my problems. A dark shape was taking form ahead, something more than a little ominous. I have a very bad feeling about this.

"This smells like devildom," Rose muttered.

"How right you are!" The dark mass assumed a shape vaguely reminiscent of the Grim Reaper. "My name is Zackwell. Melbu doesn't want you to get to the Sphere, so I'll make sure you don't." He laughed maniacally.

I transformed. "Shana! Miranda! This guy's your strong point!"

The Light Dragoons exchanged grins. "Blinding Light!"

"Firestorm!" Father and son.

I felt a shark's grin stretching my face. "Divine Dragon Cannon!"

With a long, drawn-out scream, Zackwell faded to nothing.

"Come on, guys!" I yelled. "There's still time!"

Miraculously, the Signet Sphere was still there when we arrived. Zieg smiled grimly. "It ends here."

Melbu appeared suddenly. "You're right. The world ends here." With that, he hurled the Moon Gem into the Signet, destroying it. "Now the way to the Moon is open! I will soon become a god!" He vanished again, laughing.

"Have we failed?" Rose asked, despairing for the first time since we'd met.

Dart shook his head. "It's not over yet! We'll stop it at the source!"

A flying creature arrived: Coolon, the wings of Savan. "Do you want to have wings?"  
Dart nodded. "Yes. Take us to the Divine Tree!" 

***

Author's note: Not much left now. I had to run the three Wingly cities together because I don't remember enough about them to put them in separate chapters.

I recently got a separate internet account up again, so when this story is finished I'll be able to register on my own. Finally!

Thanks for the reviews. D.S.


	16. Chapter 16: Battle at the Moon's Core

Disclaimer: I do not own this.

***

I will never forget the flight to the Divine Tree. We all clung to Coolon to keep from falling off. We had to, the constant attacks from a couple hundred Virages would have dislodged us otherwise. Fortunately, none were Super Virages, or we would have been in _really_ big trouble.

"Talk about wild rides," Richie said. "Don't they ever give up?"

"They are protecting the Moon," Zieg responded. "The Virage Embryo is there."

Just as he finished speaking, our luck ran out. A shot from one of the Virages clipped Coolon's right wing, and we plummeted to the ground. I think I blacked out for a moment, because I suddenly found Miranda standing over me. "Are you alright?"

"I think so." I got up, wincing a little. "Everyone here?"

"Yeah." Mac rubbed his neck. "Bruised, but we're all intact."

I stared up. "So this is the Divine Tree. I guess we've gotta climb."

Even on the Divine Tree we had to deal with monsters. Some were recognizable as relatives of vermin we'd fought in other places, others were totally new. Meru had more than one close call; I was eventually forced to shield her from a vaguely gorilla-like creature.

"Thanks, Ray." The Blue Sea Dragoon retrieved her hammer. "That was close."

"No problem." I sheathed my blade. "How much farther?"

"Not far now," Amanda said. "I think we're getting close."

We had gotten very close. The only problem was, there was a giant insect in the way. We killed it, but it took a while, since the thing had three different forms to destroy: a caterpillar, a cocoon, and what looked like a giant, homicidal butterfly. A giant insect, on top of everything else?

"Come on!" Dart yelled. "We're running out of time!"

The entrance to the Moon was mere feet away. Inside, though, was a completely different environment. I had a sudden flashback to the Prairie back in Serdio. From the ledge we stood on, we could see a long stretch of plains. What the!?

Lavitz stared around in disbelief. "Are we back on the ground!?"

Rose shook her head. "The Moon is showing us this. I don't know why."

"Who cares why!" Richie was getting impatient. "Let's just get on with it!"

The plains lasted all of a hundred feet. Passing through an archway, we found ourselves in a snowy forest, suspiciously like the Evergreen Forest in Mille Seseau. Are we where I think we are?

Miranda confirmed it. "This looks like…the forest near my home." She walked toward a nearby cave. "There's something I have to take care of. Alone."

Dart nodded slowly. "Be careful."

For the next half hour, we sat and waited. I couldn't help fidgeting; I'm normally patient, but with Melbu Frahma within hours at most of becoming a "god", this side trip was making me very nervous. I hope this is all there is to it.

Amanda noticed my nervousness and effortlessly managed to misinterpret it. "Worried about your girlfriend, Ray?"

I glared at her. "Shut up. For your information, _thief_, I'm not worried about Miranda at all. She can take care of herself. What I am concerned about is the possibility that Melbu Frahma is even as we speak merging with the Virage Embryo. That would give new meaning to the word 'catastrophe'."

She smiled, clearly not believing me. "Whatever you say."

Miranda rejoined us shortly thereafter, looking much subdued. "I'm ready."

"You okay?" I asked as we resumed our trek.

She sighed. "I found the place where I last saw my mother. I fought…a demonic rose there."

I laid a hand on her shoulder. "You don't like roses, do you?"  
"My mother would never look at me directly." Miranda sighed again. "And she beat me up. But I remember, there were always roses on the shelf behind her."

"And that's why you hate roses." I nodded. "Understandable."

"I saw an image of my mother in the rose. She…asked for forgiveness."

"Did you?"

Miranda nodded. "I can't hold that in forever. I have to move on."

"Just like when I killed Caminetti." I slashed a small dragon-like creature. "Of course, your mother wasn't totally bad. Caminetti was just a thug. Back about five or six hundred years ago, half the world, my world, that is, was aflame with religious warfare. His specialty was torturing people to death over microscopic differences." I shuddered. "Twenty years ago, he joined the Mafia, which doesn't even have the flimsy cover of murdering people in 'God's name'. They're just scum, and an Immortal Mafia gangster doesn't bare thinking about. I speak from experience."

"Like you said, he's gone." Miranda sent an arrow into a berserk unicorn.

Our next stop was the strangest yet: Bale.

"What the!?" Dart stopped in his tracks.

"Where are we?" Methos asked.

"This is…Bale, from twenty years ago," Albert said. "Just after my uncle Doel took over. It was only after Noish rebelled that he moved his throne to Kazas."

I surveyed the area. We had arrived in a hotel, a popular one by the looks of it. I saw a piano player, a man who was recognizable as a young version of a drunkard I'd met in the present-day Bale, a girl with dark blond hair, and an oddly familiar boy of about six. Is that who I think it is?

Haschel stared at the girl. "That girl." He followed her through a portal similar to the one that brought us in.

"What's with him?" Dart wondered.

Zieg sighed. "Dart, that was your mother."

The younger Fire Dragoon gaped. "What!?"

"You heard right. She looked just like that the day we met." Zieg shrugged. "Haschel has to settle things for himself."

Lavitz, meanwhile, was staring at the six-year-old in complete disbelief. "That…that's me! I remember, I was six when Emperor Doel took over!"

I sank into a chair. "Okay, this is officially weird. Miranda fights a demonic rose that has her mother's face, Haschel goes chasing after his daughter, and now Lavitz sees himself as a six-year-old." This was by far the strangest part of our crazy adventure.

Haschel was back within an hour. "It's over."

I heaved myself up. "Let's get going."

An hour's walking later, and we found ourselves on a transparent plain, looking at the ground far below. This area was definitely not for those with a fear of heights. Fortunately, none of us had such a fear; Immortals have little reason to fear anything, and Dragoons can fly, so for them heights are irrelevant. It was still disconcerting, though.

A roar startled us. "What was that!?" Kongol yelped.

Rose stared at a black shadow. "That is…Michael! My Dragon! He was with me for more than ten thousand years!"

Michael, however, did not appear to recognize Rose. Letting out another roar, he dove at us, unleashing some sort of black laser beam. We scattered, most back the way we came, but Dart and Rose fell off a cliff. We Immortals took another route entirely, and found ourselves in what looked like an abandoned warehouse. Now what?

Amanda drew her sword. "Heads up. We've got company."

Company came in the form of five Immortals, all of them deceased. Mac moved to confront an old enemy, Xavier St. Cloud, who had joined forces with Horton just before his death. Amanda faced a former partner in crime whose name I never learned. Richie was taking on a bounty hunter named Mako, whom he had killed two years earlier. Methos had his hands full with Kalas, a former opera singer with a facility for holding grudges for a very long time.

I eyed my own opponent warily. I'd had a less than pleasant encounter with Ernst Daimler just prior to the former Nazi's death at Mac's hand. He'd struck me as the epitome of Nazi evil. He'd also spent fourteen years at the bottom of the Seine, so his sword skills weren't what they used to be. So, I get to kill the image of a Nazi. How fitting.

Suddenly, Daimler moved, aiming a slash for my had. I blocked, and countered with a stab at his chest. His blade intercepted mine and knocked it out of my hand, then drew a line of blood across my stomach. I had to jump away to avoid his next strike.

"Ray! Catch!" Having disposed of Mako, Richie tossed me my katana.

"Thanks, Rich!" Spinning around, I beheaded Daimler just as he was preparing to do the same to me. As I expected, there was no Quickening. How can there be, when the Immortal in question is already dead? These are just images from the past.

Methos sheathed his weapon. "Let's get out of here."

We caught up with the others just in time for them to be attacked by a Super Virage. The hideous beast fired off a massive blast of energy, hitting them all at once. If it wasn't for Albert's Rose Storm, they probably would have died.

I transformed. "Mind if I crash the party? Divine Dragon Cannon!!"

"Whoa!" Zieg barely dodged in time. He spun. "You guys all right!?"

"We're fine!" I yelled back. "Had to take out some dead Immortals first." Flapping for altitude, I used the same move I'd hit Lloyd with in Flanvel. "That'll leave a mark."

"Wing Blaster!" Lavitz shouted, sending a bird-shaped blast of wind.

"Final Burst!" Dart charged, trailed by a sheet of flame.

"Astral Drain!"

"Thunder God Attack!" 

Kongol backed away. "Everyone, get back! It's going to explode!"

We did as he said, just in time. The Super Virage detonated violently, sending a massive shockwave our way. We were barely able to ride it out; were it not for the fact that some of us were Dragoons, and others were Immortal, (and I was both), I highly doubt we would have survived.

"Where to now, Dart?" I asked, cleaning gore off my sword.

"We go to the core," he said grimly. "We destroy Melbu, and the flesh of the God of Destruction. We'll put an end to the cycle of the Moon Child, and give Rose a chance to live a normal life."

"Or as close to normal as someone who doesn't age can get," Shana put in.

We stayed in Dragoon form for the rest of the trip, since flying is faster than walking. Lacking wings, the other Immortals compensated by riding Regole, who was obviously glad of the company. I was more than ready; after all that had happened, I wasn't going to let some megalomaniac Wingly ruin an entire world. 

Meru saw it first. "Guys, look!"

We were just too late. Melbu had merged with the flesh of the Virage Embryo. His discarded body lay still on the ground. It's not over yet. He'll need time to gather his power, and we're not going to give him that time. It ends here.

Melbu laughed. "I have acquired all. The immortality, and the ultimate power. I am the god who purifies the world, according to the fate determined by Soa. Death to all who rebel against fate! Death to all life! And may your deaths bless the new world to which I shall descend!"

"We won't let you!" Dart shouted. "We are the Dragoons! We are ready to fight against fate! Let's go!"

"Perhaps I can be of service."

I spun around, recognizing the voice instantly. "Lloyd!? What are you doing here!?"

The Wingly shrugged. "There is no room in my utopia for someone like Melbu." He turned to Albert. "Your Majesty, I apologize for my actions. Had I known of this, I would have aided you from the beginning."

"Don't worry about it," Albert replied, hacking off a tentacle. "Melbu alone was at fault."

"As you wish." Lloyd dove on Melbu from above, stabbing deeply with the Dragon Buster.

"Divine Dragon Cannon!"

"Freezing Ring!"

Melbu screamed, and began to change forms. At the same time, our surroundings began to shift, becoming a tunnel of light. This is getting surreal. I glanced quickly at my friends. Everyone seems to be holding up all right, though the other Immortals look a little disoriented. I fired off another cannon blast. You can't win, Melbu.

Another change of scenery came, leaving us on a rocky landscape.

"Meteor Strike!"

"Gaspless!"

That form didn't last long. The final change took us to the heart of a volcano. By this point, Melbu was looking like a giant worm. All of us were still in the game, thankfully, and Melbu Frahma was in dire straights. Just a little more, and I was sure we'd get him.

Rose stabbed once, then flew back. "Everyone, summon your Dragons! That should finish the job!"

We did as she said, all at once. The release of energy was violent beyond belief, blowing a huge hole in the wall and restoring the true form of the core. A death eleven thousand years overdue. Melbu Frahma, please don't rest in peace. You have done too much evil for that."

Melbu writhed. "How dare you! Inferior humans…cannot outshine me…a god."

Lloyd snorted derisively. "A god? Don't make me laugh." he calmly surveyed the carnage. "We best get out of here while we still can."

I sent one final cannon shot into the Virage Embryo. "He's right! Let's move!"

The flight out of the Moon was, if possible, even crazier than the flight to the Divine Tree. (Insert _Return_ _of the Jedi _metaphor here.) Dodging debris was tricky, with explosions rocking the place on all sides. I had to vaporize another Virage before we could get out. Kongol smashed a large rock before it could hit anyone. Almost there.

I burst into the open sky, the last one out. Behind me, the Moon That Never Sets exploded in a manner reminiscent of the Hiroshima bomb. Even facing directly away, I could see the brilliant light. Coming to a stop midair, I checked to make sure everyone made it. Zieg and Dart, check. Rose, Shana, Miranda, Kongol, Meru, Lavitz, Albert, Haschel, Regole, the other Immortals, yep, everyone made it out.

Dart breathed out once. "It's over."

Miranda gazed at the rubble. "The cycle of the Moon Child is over."

I tucked one arm around the Sacred Sister. "Now we can relax. Where to?"

"How about Indels Castle," Albert said. "We can celebrate there."

***

The party was even larger than any of us had expected. When the Moon exploded, a blast of magic from Melbu's death throes had somehow revived Rose and Zieg's old comrades. I guess they deserved another chance at life. Even if Kanzas is the most bloodthirsty man I have ever encountered. Meru and Damia were starting to act like sisters, a trend I found more than a little disturbing. There's fodder for centuries of practical jokes.

"Enjoying the party, Belmont?"

I shrugged. "For once, I actually am, old man. I don't normally like parties, but in this case we're celebrating the salvation of an entire world." I sipped some wine Meru's parents had provided. "Besides, I like it here."

"So you're staying?" Methos didn't seem in the least surprised.

"Yeah. I'm going to help rebuild Deningrad." I grinned. "And yes, Miranda does have something to do with that; I'm not going to pretend otherwise. Not that I expect her to change much. She'll be annoying as ever."

"I heard that." Miranda appeared at my elbow. "How do you know I won't change?"

"Because you are who you are, and adults rarely change except under extreme conditions," I said mildly. I glanced at MacLeod. "You're welcome to drop by if you so desire, Mac. Amanda too." 

The Highlander grinned. "It must have been like pulling teeth for you to say that."

"Yeah, well, you'd kill me otherwise. Many times." I winced. "Just make sure she doesn't steal anything, okay?"

"Right."

I checked my watch. "I've been here for hours. Miranda, I think we should say our goodbyes." I searched for Albert, since it was his castle. "Albert, Miranda and I are leaving."

He smiled. "You are always welcome here."

"Thanks." I glanced at the Light Dragoon. "Shall we go?"

"Let's." We transformed and began the long flight home. 

***

Author's note: And that's that. By the time you read this, I'll likely have registered separately, so this is the last story I will post by this method. (It's about time!) If anyone's looking forward to more of my stories, rest assured I already have something in the works, so you won't have to wait too long.

On a side note, the Blinding Light move is just what it sounds like, an extremely powerful Light spell.

Thanks to everyone who reviewed this. D.S.


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